My Love Potion
by Bells of Tomorrow
Summary: Hoping to impress a certain blonde doctor, JD buys his love interest a special gift, but when that gift falls into the wrong hands, unexpected feelings begin to develop...
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: **__So a while back, I held a poll on my profile asking if you guys wanted to see this story, and twenty-five out of twenty-seven people said yes, so here we go. Please keep in mind though that, besides my recent Christmas story, I've never written a Scrubs story that focused on any particular pairing. And for those of you who love the father/son dynamic, don't worry – I've been working an a Scrubs AU for a long time now that focuses on that, so after this story is completed, I will go back to working on that sucker. Anyway, guys, this one's kind of weird, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless. :) _

_**Pairings:**_ _JD/Elliot & JD/Cox_

_**Time line: **__Takes place after Season 7. _

_**Disclaimer**__: I own a very large nothing._

**Chapter 1:**

Springtime in California was JD's favorite time of year.

The sun was out as always, but along with its rays came a nice cool breeze to ruffle and play with his perfectly styled locks. The air smelled fresh; new. Flowers seemed brighter, as did the leaves that swayed happily on the branches of each individual tree he passed. JD sighed in utter bliss, not really caring if his current thoughts would be considered girly. Because come on, let's face it: Springtime was most definitely the season of love, and JD refused to miss out on said emotion this year.

The more he thought on it – how much he wanted to be in a relationship – the more he thought of _her_. Her, in all her blue eyed, blonde haired glory.

When his crush for Elliot came back full force, only about a month ago actually, he had felt absolutely horrible. He'd gone home to his apartment after work that day to pretty much throw a tantrum. Pillows were thrown at the wall (because hey – he didn't want to break anything) and old pictures were looked at in hopes that reminding himself about their train wreck of a past would shoo away these all too familiar emotions. Yet in the end, they only made them stronger.

What was it that brought on these sudden feelings anyway? Was it the "almost kiss," they had shared in the on-call room? No, they had both _finally_ decided that, that was nothing. Elliot knew long before calling it off with Keith that they weren't meant to be (even if it did take her a while to realize it) and while JD's effort had been sincere when it came to making it work between himself and Kim, he knew from the start that he'd never be able to trust her again; that he'd never be able to love her.

Kim was a good mom though, and he was proving to be a pretty good dad as well. Each parent would take Sammy for a week before handing him over to the other. It was even safe to say that there was no more resentment between the two. They'd smile and laugh whenever discussing what Sammy did during the week in which they had him; whether it was a new toy he'd found fascinating or the new type of noises he'd started to make. And while JD didn't trust her as a person, he definitely trusted her as the mother of his child. They were friends, and considering everything they'd been through since first finding out Kim was pregnant, that was saying a lot.

So how – _when_ – did these new feelings for Elliot begin? The answer, JD had realized after his initial tantrum, was the weeks in which it was just he and Sammy. Elliot's desire to have a baby of her own was still very much alive. She had JD's schedule memorized even more than he did. "Oh, it's Saturday!" she would exclaim cheerily when she saw him at the hospital. "Tomorrow you pick up Sammy, right? Oh, I can't wait! I'll be over the minute you get home, okay?"

And she always was, too. Not only would she be knocking at his door just minutes after his return from Kim's, but she would always come bearing a gift for his son. A teddy bear, a set of building blocks, and even the necessities, like a very large pack of diapers. She loved to coo and cuddle him as well. JD even once caught her singing to him. It was cute, despite Elliot's inability to carry even some of the simplest of tunes.

So of _course_ these feelings had developed. Er…_re_developed. Elliot was constantly around, playing mother to Sammy willingly and voluntarily. And it's not like she came over _just_ because of the baby either. If that was the case, wouldn't it have made more sense for her to go home when the child fell asleep in his crib? But no – Elliot would stay and talk to JD. And not just about his son, but about everything. Granted, she was usually the one doing most of the talking, but it was still nice.

JD sighed as he continued down the sidewalk. Could he really make this work? They had both definitely matured since their last attempt at a relationship with each other, hadn't they? Another sigh escaped him, and JD almost jumped out of his skin when a semi-aggravated "Dude" came crashing through his eardrums. He had completely forgotten that he was not walking solo.

"You were thinking about Elliot again, weren't you? And let me guess…forgot I was standing right here?"

"Sorry, C-Bear. She's just been on my mind a lot lately, you know? But you're right, I'll stop. And besides, we finally get some alone time!"

"You're telling me, man. It's been crazy busy lately. Me with work and Izzy; you with work and Sam. But how lucky are we to actually have the same day off?"

"Hit me one!"

The two shared one of their patented fist bumps before continuing their stroll down the sidewalk. They weren't really sure as to where they were going, but both of them had agreed that it was too nice out to not enjoy the afternoon. (That and the fact that the "Sanford and Son" marathon they'd been planning on watching all day had been cancelled)

"Hey, JD! Check it out, man!"

The brunet turned his attention to the small little magic shop his friend was currently pointing at. It sat on the corner, a little ways from the rest of the shops they were slowly but surely approaching. _Weird,_ JD thought to himself. _I was just here last week, and I don't remember seeing this place. Huh… Cool though!_ "Oooh," he finally answered enthusiastically, "We have to go inside!"

Turk grinned. "I knew you'd like it. You know…I don't think you'll ever reach an age where you'd find magic boring."

"Are you kidding me? Of course not! I can't wait till Sammy's old enough to appreciate it. I'm gonna take him to every single magic show I can find!"

The two walked into the store, still chatting away, but stopped when they were fully inside.

It definitely did not hold the appearance of your typical magic shop. The whole place was made of wood, and the shelves looked as though they were made by hand; a very _unsteady_ hand. The floors were beyond dirty, though JD silently thanked the Big Guy that they weren't creaky as well. That would've been just a little _too_ unnerving… The walls were mostly bare, except for a couple of color spewed paintings that the two doctors really didn't know what to make of. JD looked again to the shelves, curious as to what they held. Thankfully, they seemed to hold all the things a _normal_ magic shop would: Trick cards, magician's hat and wand, rubber pencils, paper flowers, etc.

"This is a little weird…" Turk finally managed. "This place hasn't been here that long, right? But it looks a thousand years old."

"Tell me about it," JD murmured back. "But hey – all the products look new! And normal, for that matter…"

"Why hello."

The two turned around sharply, startled by the new voice in the room. A stout man with a friendly face stared up at them, smiling. His cheeks were tinted red, and his orange hair showed just the tiniest signs of on-coming gray. "Welcome to my shop! May I help you?"

JD instantly liked this guy. He looked like a character out of a movie; a funny movie no less! And who doesn't like funny movies? "We were just looking around," he answered politely.

"How long has this place been set up?" Turk asked a little too suspiciously.

The owner chuckled some before answering. "I know it looks old, but you can't afford to have a sparkling store when you move around as much as I do."

"'Move around?'" JD repeated.

"Why yes! I'm a _traveling_ salesmen. Slash magician, that is. I need to be able to set up my items as quickly as I'd be able to store them all away. I'm not a person who likes to stay in one spot for very long. No, not at all. So while my shop may not be the _cleanest_, I assure you it's for a reason. But never fear! My products are top notch. Yes, _very_ top notch. Would you care to see some of my newest items? Perhaps some gift ideas, even?"

Hmm…JD hadn't thought of gift ideas, but why not? This could be his chance to start something with Elliot. He'd be able to give it to her as a thank you gift for all she's done so far with Sammy, and then, if she really liked it…really, _really_ liked it… "Do you have anything that'd be good for girls?"

"Ah, trying to impress someone, are we?"

JD flushed a little. "Well, yeah. See – there's this girl I really like. A good friend. A co-worker too. We used to have a thing for each other actually, and I've recently developed, um…feelings for her again. Thing is, I'm not really sure where she stands on, you know…'Us.'"

"Then I have just the thing for you, young man!"

The two doctors watched as the owner headed straight for his counter, ignoring all the many products that lay on the shelves as he passed. He crouched down, disappearing from sight, but they could clearly hear him rummaging about. After a long five minutes of clinks and clatters, JD finally spoke. "Um, sir…? It's really okay if you can't find anything. We'll just –"

"Ah, here we go!" he shouted triumphantly, popping up from behind the register.

Chubby fingers curled themselves around a small, pink vile. It was ordinary looking, to be perfectly honest. As the man continued to wave it around triumphantly, JD soon realized that the vile itself wasn't pink at all. It was the liquid inside of it that made it seem that way. It swooshed around with each movement the shop owner made while trotting happily back to where they stood. "This, my dear boy, is a _love potion._"

There was a small moment of silence before the two men burst out laughing. "A love potion!? Dude, are you serious?" Turk asked, still smiling broadly from what he assumed was meant to be a joke.

"Why of course I'm serious!" The man turned his attention back to JD, who had finally managed to gain control of his laughter. "Tell me young man – don't you want your lady friend to love you back?"

"Of course!" he answered promptly. "But a _love potion?_ Look Mr. – I've loved magic since I was a little kid, I've read every single Harry Potter book at least three times, and I have a baby boy who I really can't wait to bring to a show one day, but… you can't honestly expect me to believe that, _that_ will make somebody fall in love with me, can you?"

"Of _course _I expect you to believe that! Listen here, young man – you give this potion to your crush, and only three days later – that's right, just _three days!_ – they'll be head over heels in love with you; googly eyes and all."

"Can I see it for a second?"

"Why of course!"

JD took the small bottle from the man's out stretched palm, examining its contents closely. As he did so, Turk nudged him playfully in the ribs. "C'mon, man, this is crazy, even for you. You don't honestly believe it'll work, do you?"

"No, but -" JD stopped and screwed open the lid. He brought it to his nose and sniffed. There was no denying how fake the stuff was, but there was also no denying how good it smelled either. So maybe it wasn't a love potion, fine, but it would sure make a nice perfume. Elliot would like that, right?

JD turned back to the owner and nodded. "Alright, sir, you win. How much for the 'Love Potion?'"

"Fifty dollars and it's all yours!"

JD grinned as he heard his best friend quietly mutter "rip-off." It didn't stop him though. He took out his wallet quickly and handed the man his money. The owner brought it to the register, and after putting it away, waved cheerfully at his two departing customers. "Good luck to you, young man! I wish for you all the love and happiness in the world!"

Turk snorted at the cheesy line, and while JD still believed the whole thing to be pretty crazy, he smiled and waved right back.

--

JD sat at the cafeteria table both he and Elliot had been sharing for the past couple of weeks. He toyed with the small bottle nervously, wondering how he'd present it to her. He decided to keep it unwrapped, considering all the boxes he owned were way too big for said item. Gift bags could've worked, but the only type of bags that were in his apartment were garbage, paper, and plastic. Handing the vile to her how it was seemed much more romantic than, "Here, Elliot! Your present's inside of this garbage bag. Hope you like it!"

Just as JD was coming up with what he thought was a great opening line, a sharp whistle broke through his train of thought. "Newbie! Didn't I see you in here earlier? No more breaks, Tiffany. Get your ass back to work!"

"I'm not taking a break! Well, okay…I guess I kind of am. But wait, Dr. Cox, listen! I paged Elliot to meet me here so I could give her –"

"Oh, dear God, don't tell me! Are you two girls going at it _again_?"

"Not yet…" JD muttered.

"I'd go ahead and comment on all the pale, nerdy sex you two cla-_hearly_ enjoy having, but I'm gonna go ahead and choose to comment over the fact that you didn't deny the 'two girls,' bit from before."

"Damn it!" the brunet hissed. Thrown off by the fact that he didn't deny his mentor's insult, JD was unprepared for the large, calloused hand that reached out and snatched the glass vile from his own smaller ones. "Hey!" JD shouted. "Give it back!"

Dr. Cox grinned mischievously as he swooshed the liquid in front of his own face, inspecting its contents carefully. "Oh, Newbie…_perfume? _You got her perfume? You just straight out get women, don't you?"

"What's wrong with perfume? Girls love perfume!"

"Girls as whiney and neurotic as Barbie? Puh-_lease_! She'll take one look at this and jump to the conclusion that you think she reeks."

JD swallowed. He hadn't considered that. More over, he felt like a complete idiot. He had to think of something quick. He could deny it being perfume, and then maybe Dr. Cox would back off. Hey, maybe he could even get the man to give him a compliment! Think, think, think! "Actually," JD finally began. "It's not perfume at all. It's –"

He stopped when Perry twisted the bottle open, peering inside at the liquid before bringing it to his nose. "Juice? You bought _juice?_"

"Huh?"

"Don't lie to me, Newbie. It smells too damn sweet to be perfume. And here I thought you couldn't get any _less_ impressive."

JD watched, wide eyed, as Perry titled his head back, finishing the bottle in one rapid swig. The older man licked his lips as he chucked the bottle back at his protégé. "That'll teach you _not_ to take two breaks in the course of an hour. Now move it, Newbie! Back to work!"

The blue eyed doctor watched, defeated, as his mentor stormed out of the cafeteria, all the while wearing a triumphant smirk. JD banged his forehead against the table. He spent fifty dollars on that thing, damn it! But maybe it was for the better. The truth was that Perry probably _was_ right about Elliot's reaction upon being given perfume. Still…fifty dollars!

"Hey, JD! What's up?"

The brunet lifted his head from the table to stare up at the person he'd originally planned on meeting there. "Hey, Elliot."

A silence ensued as the blonde stared down at her trampled looking friend. "Um…," she finally started, "You paged me?"

"Yeah, uh…sorry about that. Accident."

"It was an accident? How do you accidentally page someone?"

"I, uh…tripped?"

Elliot just rolled her eyes. "Alright, well...I'm going in line to get some lunch. Hey, wait a sec – didn't you already eat today?"

JD nodded. "Yeah. Dr. Cox noticed the same thing actually…"

"Ah, so _that_ explains the victory grin I saw him wearing before I got here."

"Pretty much..." he answered dryly.

Elliot gave him a small pat on the shoulder before scurrying off into line. JD watched her and sighed. He stood from his spot at the table begrudgingly and made his way towards the nurses' station. He was fifty dollars poorer, had no gift for Elliot, and had been yelled at – once again – by his mentor.

The whole, "Being in love and in a relationship during springtime plan," was not working out for him so far. At least it didn't appear to be…

_**A/N:**_ _Hate it? Love it? Think I've gone crazy? Don't hesitate to share. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed it so far. Until next time!_

_**P.S.**__ – I'm sure most of you know this by now, but just in case, I thought I'd let you guys know that the new and final season of [Scrubs] premiers January 6__th__ on ABC at 9:00 and 9:30. :) Anyway, besides that awesome piece of news, I hope you all had a good New Years!_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: **__Wow! Thanks for all the feedback so far, you guys. It's really encouraging to know how excited you are for this story, and I sincerely appreciate your reviews. I just hope that this strange little story lives up to your expectations. lol Just a quick note about the love potion before we begin here: Even if the drinker of said liquid doesn't usually act all wobbly at the knees in front of a person that he or she likes, the potion would make them handle a situation like that differently than they normally would without it. So for example: Let's say the drinker was a hard ass with a heart of gold who wasn't good at showing their emotions – if they drank the liquid, they would be a bit of a mixture between googly eyed and how they would normally behave. So if "someone" seems a little OOC in this chapter and chapters to come, that's why. But I won't get into the full workings of the love potion here, as that would be a spoiler-filled explanation. Well, hope that helps with any questions you may or may not have had. :) And I hope you enjoy chapter two!_

_**Disclaimer:**_ _I own a very large nothing._

**Chapter 2:**

JD leaned against the nurses' station wearily, a soft sigh escaping him as he did so. It'd been three days since his failed attempt at getting the idea of a relationship into Elliot's head, and he hadn't thought of even one semi-decent plan since.

"Trouble in paradise, Bambi?"

JD turned himself around to face his favorite Latina nurse, who was currently giving him a sympathetic smile. "That's the problem, Carla – There's no paradise to be having trouble _in!_" The brunet let his head fall exasperatedly into his hands, feeling slightly comforted as his best friends wife patted him gently on the shoulder.

JD finally raised his head, offering Carla a smile of his own. "I'll be okay. I just gotta think of a new plan, that's all. And c'mon…I'm J-dizzle! I'm sure to stir things up eventually."

The nurse rolled her eyes playfully, glad to see an optimistic tone reach JD's voice once again. "I'm sure you will, Bambi. Anyway, here are your charts for the day. Not too many, actually. Just a couple of –"

Carla was unable to finish her sentence, however, as JD's attention was distracted by what felt to be a rather hesitant tap on the shoulder. The brunet turned around curiously, surprised and a little nervous to see his mentor. Crap, he'd been caught talking to Carla again! The older man was most definitely going to lecture him about this one.

But JD's nerves melted into that of confusion when he realized the curly haired doctor wasn't even looking at him. He was staring awkwardly at his shoes, hands stuffed deep into the pockets of his lab coat as he rocked slowly on the back of his heels. JD frowned. Did something happen? "Dr. Cox? Are you okay?"

"H-Hi, Newbie…"

JD's eyebrows shot up, surprised at the hesitance his mentor's voice held. And did he just stutter? Dr. Cox _never_ stuttered. "Um…hi! Uh…do you need me for something?"

Dr. Cox, eyes still turned to the floor, started to rub the back of his neck, his posture tentative and awkward. JD didn't like this. He wasn't used to seeing his mentor looking so…so uncomfortable maybe? And on the few occasions in which he did see him in such a light, it was never like this. Dr. Cox would stand up straight; muscles tense and jaw shut tight. But this was different, and as much as JD loved when the older man actually allowed him into his life, he wouldn't want anything bad to have happened in order for Perry to open up. "Dr. Cox?" he tried again. "Did you…did you need me for something?"

"Ah…no. No, I didn't." The Irishman finally turned his attention away from the floor to look at the brunet in front of him. JD silently hoped the surprise in his gaze wasn't evident, because holy crap! Was Dr. Cox _blushing?_ "I didn't need anything, Newbie. I just…I gotta go."

The older man turned around abruptly, coat tails flailing behind him as he disappeared around the corner and down one of the hospital's various hallways. JD could only stare, mouth a gap at what just took place. He turned to Carla after a moment's silence, confusion still clearly laced in his features. "What was that?"

Carla herself looked just as confused. "I don't know, Bambi, and I'm usually pretty good at picking up on his vibes. Maybe he's just having a rough day and wanted some support, you know? God knows he's too stubborn to ask for it, so maybe he just didn't know how to go about letting you in."

"Maybe…but if that's the case, shouldn't I go follow him? I mean, if he needs help with something…"

"I wouldn't, JD. You know that would just aggravate him. Let him open up to you when he's ready, okay? And besides, that's just a theory anyway. It could just as easily be about something else entirely."

JD just shrugged. "Maybe."

--

Hours later and JD found himself in the cafeteria, sitting idly at the table he and Elliot usually shared. The blonde had an overdose of patients today and wouldn't be able to join him. So now, feeling rather pathetic while doing so, JD poked at his food moodily, disappointed at not being able to eat with his crush and worry over his mentor's earlier behavior putting him in a rather emotional mindset. So when Dr. Cox randomly showed up at his table, standing behind the seat across from him and looking down at him with an expression JD found oddly familiar, the younger doctor didn't know how to respond.

"I, um…I stormed off before," Dr. Cox finally spoke, breaking the unusual silence between them.

JD looked up at him, a little relieved that the older man was at least making eye contact this time. Maybe whatever had been bugging him was going away? "It's okay. I was just worried. You don't, um…you don't usually act like that."

Dr. Cox shifted where he stood, apparently not knowing how to respond to his protégé's last comment. "Well, um, anyway…here."

JD was surprised when the curly haired doctor extended his arm, a Styrofoam container waiting in the palm of his out stretched hand. Hesitantly, JD reached out and took it. He opened it up cautiously, wondering if maybe it was a trick, but once the lid was open and he was able to see its contents, all he felt was excited. It was a weird present, but who cared? Dr. Cox voluntarily bought him something! "You got me a muffin!" he exclaimed happily.

"You've stolen them from the nurses' station enough times for me to know you like them, Newbie…"

"Thank you though!" JD said, his earlier mood slowly morphing into that of a good one. "I – wait a second…_is_ this a trick?"

"No, Newbie. It's not a trick. Just…just eat the damn muffin, alright?"

JD nodded, relieved to see a little bit of his old mentor back while taking a bite into his newly required pastry. Not that he wanted Dr. Cox to be forever grumpy whenever he walked into a room or asked him a question, but he didn't want him to be upset either. In fact, if JD didn't think his mentor's earlier behavior was because of a problem, he would've found it rather endearing.

--

"Chocolate Bear! Chocolate Bear! Choooooooocolate Beeeeeeeeear!"

"JD, what are you _doing?_"

"Looking for Turk! Have you seen him?"

"No," Carla answered with a disapproving shake of the head, "But screaming for him like that isn't going to make him appear out of no where."

It was at that precise moment that Turk poked his head out from behind the corner of the hallway, spotting his best friend instantly. "Vanilla Bear!" he shouted happily while running up to him. "I haven't seen you all day!"

"Or not…" the Latina nurse mumbled, going back to organizing various files she'd been given.

JD hugged his friend warmly, but was just as happy when Turk broke the embrace. He was excited to tell him his news. "Guess what happened today?"

"You figured out what to get Elliot?"

"Crap! I forgot about that! But no, not that – guess again!"

"You got Rowdy a girlfriend?"

"No, though we should really look into that… Guess again!"

"C'mon, buddy; I have surgery in five minutes. Tell me!"

"Dr. Cox bought me something!"

Turk's eyes widened, clearly not having expected that response. "Like…a present?"

"Yeah! He was acting really strange before and stormed off after, well…I don't even know if you could call it a conversation. But anyway, I guess he felt bad about it and bought me a present!"

"JD, I'm glad you're excited, and I'm glad Dr. Cox isn't treating you the way he normally does, but…don't you think that's kind of weird? After all the times he's mocked you over the years, he just now starts to feel bad over something as simple as storming off to the point of going out and getting you something?"

The brunet just shrugged. "Maybe a little, but it's not like he bought me a car or anything, Turk. It was just a muffin."

It was these words that caught the Latina woman's attention. She looked up from her files, a curious and contemplative expression playing across her face. "Bambi? Did you just say he bought you a muffin…?"

"Huh? Yeah, that's right. Why? What's wrong?"

"Huh…" Carla said softly. Her look was far off, as if recalling something; a memory. A sudden chuckle escaped her then, startling them both. "Sorry, Bambi. I don't know what I was thinking for a minute. But anyway, that's a sweet story."

JD turned to Turk for some kind of explanation on his wife's rather odd behavior, but the surgeon just shrugged. "Um…thanks I guess?" JD finally answered. "Anyway, have you guys seen Elliot? We're supposed to hang out tonight, but she never gave me an actual place or time."

"She just went into the on-call room, though I'm sure she'll still be up if you hurry."

"Thanks, Carla. Appreciate it!" And just like that, JD was off.

Turk kissed his wife and ran to where he was supposed to be as well, so it was just Carla who was there to answer the question of the curly haired doctor.

"Where's Newbie?"

The nurse looked up from her paperwork, startled by Dr. Cox's sudden appearance. "He went to the on-call room. Why?"

Perry frowned. "Is he sick?"

The Latina could feel her eyes widen, though she really couldn't help it. She had expected a response along the lines of, "What the hell? Get Carol's ass out of the on-call room and back to work, now!" But the question, "'Is he sick?'" was definitely not the older man's normal response to said scenario. "No, he's not sick. He just went to see Elliot."

Perry scowled. "Barbie? Why?"

"Because they're going to hang out tonight. Dr. Cox, why are you acting so - ?" but before the nurse could finish her sentence, the Irishman had turned down the hall towards a series of empty patient rooms, ignoring the confused look that followed him.

--

After being tripped by the Janitor and asked for help by a passing intern, JD finally made it to the on-call room's entrance. But just as his hand was on the knob and ready to turn, his pager beeped to life. The brunet let out a frustrated sigh, but calmed down some when he saw it was Dr. Cox. Okay, so the timing was bad, but Perry was being nice today. A little weird, but nice. He definitely didn't want to mess that up.

He ran quickly to where his pager had summoned him, but when he got to the patient's room, he couldn't help but notice something was missing.

Oh, right. The patient.

Okay, so if there was no patient to take care of, then why did Dr. Cox page him? And why was he just standing there, staring at his feet like that again? JD frowned. Maybe whatever had been bugging him _hadn't_ dissipated yet. "Dr. Cox? You paged me?"

"Do you want to get a drink tonight?"

JD stared, wide eyed. Did he…did he just hear right? "Do I…do I what?"

"A drink. At the bar. Do you want to get one?"

"I…yes! Yes, of course!" The brunet wanted to jump up and down, but he refrained. Seven years! Seven years of begging and hinting and pleading and finally, _finally_ his mentor was voluntarily asking him out for a drink; just the two of them! "Yeah, Dr. Cox, that sounds great! Um…when?"

"After work. I'll pick you up. Eight alright?"

JD nodded enthusiastically, too afraid to say anything else in his excitement and ruin what just took place.

"Good," Perry said matter-of-factly. And then, just like before, he exited the room in a hurry.

JD stood where he was for a long moment before jumping in the air with a boisterous, "Score!" Maybe if he played his cards right, he'd also get his long awaited hug.

--

"But we were supposed to hang out tonight!"

JD, who had just returned to his apartment, called up Elliot instantly. In his excitement and eagerness to accept Dr. Cox's invite, he had completely forgotten about his evening plans with Elliot, even if they hadn't actually set up a real time or place.

"I know, Elliot, I know, and I'm _really_ sorry. I promise we'll hang out tomorrow night, okay?"

"Fine…can I at least know why I'm being stood up?"

JD swallowed. He knew she didn't mean it like that, but he couldn't help but wish they really _had,_ had a real date planned. Not that he enjoyed Elliot thinking he was ditching her, but at least that would've been some sort of indication that they were, in fact, dating.

"I'm not standing you up, Elliot, I promise. It's Dr. Cox! He asked me out for a drink! Can you believe it?"

"Really!? Wow, JD! You've wanted that for as long as I've known you! Okay, okay – so that's definitely a good reason. Just don't get drunk, alright? Dr. Cox can just barely stand you when you're sober, and I don't think he'd want to hang out again if he saw you wasted on appletinis."

"Thanks, Elliot…"

"Oh, c'mon…I didn't mean it that way. I think it's sort of cute when you get handsy, but I don't think Dr. Cox would appreciate watching that."

JD laughed a little, quietly flattered that the blonde doctor referred to something he did as "cute." Still, she had a point: Getting handsy in front of Dr. Cox would _not_ be good. "Alright, I won't get drunk. Especially if he's downing scotch. _Someone's_ gonna have to drive us home."

Elliot chuckled. "Have fun, alright? And you better give me details tomorrow. I want to know why after seven years of begging, Dr. Cox _just now_ decided to take you up on the idea of getting a drink."

JD swallowed hard, suddenly more nervous than excited. She raised a good point. What would possess his mentor, after all this time, to ask him out for a drink or two? What if this really _was_ just a trick, like all the times Perry had pretended to give him a hug and pulled away at the last second? "Yeah," JD finally responded, "I'm kind of wondering about that now too…"

_**A/N:**_ _Well, there's chapter two for ya'! I actually wrote two different versions of this chapter and went with this one in the end, mainly in that I didn't think the first version was very funny and the foreshadowing was kind of non-existent, so I hope this one works out better. Anyway, hope you guys liked it, and hope you all tuned in for the premiere of Scrubs last night. ;) Until next time!_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: **__Here with chapter three! Okay, first and foremost: Thank you all sincerely for the amazing feedback. It's extremely encouraging, and I appreciate every single review. :) Now a couple of people have asked me how long this story is going to be, and while I usually know before hand, I wasn't one hundred percent positive with this one. Well, after setting up a much more structured out-line, it looks like this story is going to be eight chapters long. Sound good? Oh! And just one more thing before we move on: I found a really cute picture someone drew based off of this story the other day. It really made me smile, but I don't know who to thank for that because I'm not sure what their name is on here. So if you're reading this, thank you very much, and I posted a link on my profile to your piece, as I found it absolutely adorable. :) Well, that's about it from me. Hope you enjoy the chapter!_

_**Disclaimer:**_ _I own a very large nothing._

**Chapter 3:**

Seven fifty-five and JD was pacing his apartment like an animal in a cage. It felt oddly reminiscent of how one would feel if waiting for their date to show up for a first night out, which got JD thinking back on old thoughts from seven years ago; when he was still a lowly intern...

The brunet shook his head abruptly. Okay, he must _really_ be nervous if he was going all the way back there. He just had to wait patiently and realize – _convince _himself – that this wasn't a trick on Dr. Cox's part. He seemed genuinely sincere when asking JD out for a drink, and the only reason the blue eyed doctor was nervous (besides the possibility that it was, in fact, all a trick) was because he was finally getting something he'd been begging for since starting at Sacred Heart, and now that he was getting it, he was just feeling a little anxious.

And that made sense. That was normal.

A sudden knock on the door made JD jump, but he was soon at the handle, pulling it open and staring at the person that waited there.

Perry stood in its frame, hands stuffed in the pockets of his sports jacket and wearing a small grin. "Hey there, Newbie."

"Wow, you showed up!"

JD, who was getting ready to curse himself for once again saying out loud what was supposed to remain in his head, stopped when he saw the older man frown, turning to look awkwardly at his feet. "You didn't think I'd show up…?"

JD inwardly startled at his mentor's reaction. He wasn't used to this though. Perry was acting…Perry was acting…he was acting like he had emotions! JD always knew they were there, and was even able to witness them every now and then, but usually over much bigger matters and not so, well…openly. "No, I-I didn't mean it like that. I worry. I'm a worrier. You know that."

Perry shook his head, as if ridding himself of something he wasn't used to either. "Right. I know that, Newbie, I just…you know. Anyway, come on. The Porsche is waiting."

JD's eyes widened. "The Porsche! Really? Do, um…do I have to sit in the back again…?"

"It'd be pretty pointless to ask you out for a drink just to shove you in the back."

JD did his best to hide a smile, though he wasn't very successful. "Y-Yeah, I guess. So, um…are we going?"

Perry nodded, and without another moment's hesitation, the brunet followed the curly haired doctor out of the door and into the car.

--

The bar Perry took him to was a nice one; not at all what JD had expected. He thought they'd be going to the one by the hospital or the local sports bar; his mentor's second choice when he just couldn't stand to be remotely near Sacred Heart. But instead, Dr. Cox led him over to cushioned bar stools that lined a nicely kept counter, a wide selection of drinks displayed in an almost museum like fashion behind the bar. As great as the various choices looked though, JD already knew what he wanted. Now it just came down to whether or not he'd have the nerve to order one with his mentor sitting right there next to him.

The barman approached with a familiar nod towards Perry, making it clear to JD that the older man had been there enough times before. "What can I get for you tonight?"

"We'll start out with a beer and an appletini."

The man went to get their drinks, while JD turned to the curly haired doctor, shocked. "How did you - ? I mean…I was going to order a beer too, you know. Maybe even a scotch…"

Dr. Cox rolled his eyes, though there was obviously no malice behind it. "Drink whatever you want, JD, alright? I'm not going to make fun of you, and I know you like the sweeter drinks anyway. It's fine."

But the brunet's brain had shut off for the last part of his mentor's mini speech. Did he just…did he just… "Did you just call me, 'JD!?'"

"Is that…should I not?"

If JD wasn't a doctor, he would have seriously considered the possibility that his eyes were just about ready to pop out of his head. "No! I mean yes! I mean…wait. No to you not calling me JD. So, um…that means yes!"

Perry grinned, but it wasn't sarcastic or bitter or any of the common traits JD was so used to seeing behind that smirk. It was _real. _"Okay, though Newbie's still in too. How about we mix it up every now and then?"

JD nodded enthusiastically. Honest to God, he was at a point where if Dr. Cox had decided to call him, "Tutu," all night, he really wouldn't have cared.

Still, there was something nagging at the back of JD's mind. A comment from Elliot that he couldn't bring himself to ignore. "Hey…Dr. Cox?"

"Newbie?"

"Why is it after seven years of asking, you just now decided to ask me out for a drink? Not that I'm complaining, because I'm definitely not. I just, you know…it seems kind of random. Which is fine, it is. I just…I was kind of curious as to why, just now, so suddenly… But it's just…it's just curiosity, you know? Um...yeah…"

JD squirmed on his barstool, wondering quietly to himself why he couldn't just keep his mouth shut. However, after a couple moments of silence with still no response from his mentor, JD turned to face him.

Perry was staring at the counter, tracing an invisible pattern with one large, calloused finger. The gesture was innocent; child like even. And suddenly JD knew why his mannerisms, while strange coming from the man sitting next to him, seemed so familiar. His awkwardness, his stuttering – they reminded JD of someone who'd been love struck.

But that was ridiculous, wasn't it? He'd seen Dr. Cox with a crush on others before, and while he'd always been a _little_ awkward, it was never that obvious and never to such an extent. Besides, if that really was the problem, then he wouldn't have asked JD out for a drink, of all people. The brunet knew his love life wasn't an impressive one, and anybody in their right mind wouldn't have picked him to go to for relationship advice.

So then what was it?

"Dr. Cox? It's okay. I was just curious. You don't have to answer."

"No, Newbie. I…I wanted to. I had to."

"Had to what?"

"Ask you out for a drink. I just…I need this. That's what it is. This…this _need_. And I don't know why. I mean, I do. I know why. But I don't know why so suddenly or why it happened now. And…damn it, Newbie, I'm not good with these kinds of conversations. Can we just…I just want to sit back and enjoy our drinks, okay?"

JD was confused to say the least, but he was happy to be there and didn't want to upset his mentor any further. So he nodded, very grateful that it was at that moment that the barman returned with their order. Before JD's hand was even around the middle of his glass, Dr. Cox clicked his own bottle against the rim of the younger man's tini. "Cheers."

JD smiled, raising the green liquid to his lips with an answering, "Cheers," of his own.

--

Drunk he was not, but tipsy? Oh, yes. Definitely tipsy. And while that may not have been a big deal to some, JD knew what his hands itched to do when he got this way.

With his third appletini emptied of its contents, while Dr. Cox sat beside him on his fifth beer and completely unphased, JD squirmed. His fingers gripped at his jeans, his mind begging them to stay exactly where they were. _Do not get handsy in front of Dr. Cox, do not get handsy in front of Dr. Cox!_

"You alright there, Newbie?"

JD turned just a bit too fast, and for a moment, the image of his mentor swam before his eyes. The brunet blinked a couple of times before nodding, too afraid to speak and have his words come out in a messy heap.

Dr. Cox quirked an eyebrow. "You sure? You were talking a lot in the beginning there."

Perry was right. He had been talking a lot; about everything too. Work, Sammy, Elliot (in which Dr. Cox had remained very, very quiet during that part of the conversation) and even a few new patients he'd once again managed to get too close to. Dr. Cox had briefly scolded him for this, but it was done in a gentler tone than JD was used to, and it had been, well…nice.

But now JD's fingers were tight around his pant material, hoping desperately that they would not betray him and go about doing whatever they pleased.

"Newbie?"

"'M fine." Crap, he slurred. But he wasn't downright drunk, just tipsy. Still, Elliot's words echoed through his head, and JD couldn't help but inwardly scold himself for not having listened. Dr. Cox wouldn't want to hang out with him again after this, especially if his hands wandered up his chest and started rubbing comforting, feel-good circles on his shirt and through his skin, that felt really, _really_ –

"Newbie? W-What are you doing?"

JD startled, looking down at himself with undeniably flushed cheeks. His hands were currently splayed across his chest, his shirt rising up just a little from the movement. "I…I'm sorry. I gets, um…I get a little handsy when I get a little…little tipsy. Sorry. Sorry…"

JD turned to the older man sheepishly, nervous for whatever was to come. But the blush he knew was on his own face seemed to be reaching his mentors. Maybe it was just the heat of the bar, or the lights from over head, or the fact that JD was seeing things due to his current state. But whatever the reason, Dr. Cox's expression was definitely tinted pink as he took a very large breath of air, swallowing hard and closing his eyes. Was he preparing for a rant? His face was laced in concentration. Or maybe restraint? He couldn't tell, and JD really, _really_ wished he hadn't drunk all three of those tini's.

"Newbie, let's get you home, alright?"

"You're mad at me now…"

"JD…I'm not…I'm not mad. But for you – and for me too – we have to get you home."

The brunet's eyebrows furrowed, once again confused by his mentor's behavior, but at least now he could blame his confusion on the alcohol. And hey…as long as the older man wasn't mad at him, then he was alright with going home. "'Kay, we can go. But you're not mad, right?"

"I'm not mad, but it's really time to go, so c'mon."

JD gratefully allowed Dr. Cox to wrap an arm around his middle, slinging his own arm around the older man's neck as the curly haired doctor helped him wobble to his Porsche.

--

JD pressed his head against the cool glass of the Porsche's window. He chanced a glance at Dr. Cox, curiosity getting the better of him. It was true. The older man honestly didn't seem mad, but something was still a little off. Did he look flustered? Was that it?

"I'm sorry 'gain," JD murmured against the window. "Does this mean we can't go out anymore?"

"Of course it doesn't, Newbie. Hell, we can go out tomorrow, if…if you wanted to..."

JD's mouth was open, ready to say yes, until he remembered his earlier promise to a certain blonde doctor. "I'm hanging out with Elliot tomorrow night. 'M, sorry. What about –"

"Relax. You hang out with Barbie and I guess we'll…we'll figure something out later, then..."

If JD wasn't already a little wobbly, he would have described his mentor's voice as disappointed, but now more than ever he was questioning his senses. He also would have offered to hang out during the day since he was off of work tomorrow, but he knew Dr. Cox wasn't. And what if his voice hadn't been disappointed at all? Then he'd just end up sounding like an idiot for the suggestion.

Before JD knew it, the car was parked outside of his apartment building. The brunet opened the door and went to stand, surprised that his mentor was already at his side, waiting for him. "Easy there, Newbie. Still tipsy I'm guessing?"

JD nodded, surprising himself when he let out a small giggle in the process.

"What's so funny?"

"I 'unno."'

The Irishman just shook his head as he walked into the building and up to JD's room, hesitant to leave the younger man by himself.

Once at the door, JD went to turn around to tell him he had fun, but his movement was just a little too quick for his current state, and he found himself suddenly pressed against the older man's chest, his upper arms being held by said mentor to keep him from falling. "'M, sorry," JD managed through another embarrassed giggle. "Turned too quickly. I was just gonna say that –"

"Dear God, Newbie…"

JD froze. Oh no. Dr. Cox did not sound happy. This was it, wasn't it? After the whole entire night, the whole entire _day_, he'd finally gone ahead and screwed it up. Perry was going to give him the tongue lashing of a lifetime. JD swallowed, the worry in the bottom of his stomach boiling. "I-I'm sorry. I stumbled. I didn't mean to drink all the tini's, but –"

"Those tini's," Dr. Cox cut in, his voice sounding strained, "Do you know what they do to you, JD? You smell so damn much like apples, and I gotta tell ya': That, 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away,' theory is proving to be a ra-_healy_ huge lie."

Before JD could respond, before he could get a word in edge wise, his back was pressed against the apartment door; the two hands already wrapped around his upper arms holding him tighter. JD's eyes popped as the realization of what was happening took hold of him all at once: Dr. Cox was kissing him, and kissing him hard.

_**A/N:**_ _Just to clarify, there won't be any intense romance scenes in this story. Nothing against them personally, but this is my first real time doing slash, and I wanted to write something that everyone could (hopefully) read, no matter the pairing of their choosing. Anyway, that's it for now. Hope you liked it, and until next time! :)_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: **__Wow, I just realized that since this story is going to have just eight chapters (plus an epilogue in Perry's POV) this means that we're pretty much halfway done. It's going a lot faster than I anticipated. Anyway, thank you guys again for all of your reviews and encouragement. Getting them really brightens up my day, and I love seeing people get so into the story. :) Well, that's about it from me. Hope you enjoy the chapter!_

_**Disclaimer:**_ _I own a very large nothing._

**Chapter 4:**

JD had never in his life felt such an odd mixture of panic and pleasure.

What was…what was going on!? Dr. Cox was kissing him with an urgency he hadn't felt from any other kiss before, and had _certainly_ never expected to feel from the man who currently held his arms in a strong but non-bruising grip.

Blue eyes remained open in shock for the first five – maybe ten – seconds. But suddenly the brunet felt his lids shutter close, pleasure over taking him. But wait – no! No, no, no! This was…this was _Dr. Cox!_

JD's eyes popped back open, realization over the situation hitting him hard as he began squirming within the older man's grasp. This didn't seem to phase his mentor in the slightest, who currently appeared to be completely and all around oblivious to everything else in the world.

Finally, and not really knowing what else to do, JD screamed as loud as he could without reaching a volume that would undoubtedly wake up his neighbors. "No, _no!_ Dr. Cox! Dr. Cox, _STOP IT!_"

And just like that, the man in front of him froze, blue eyes snapping open at the sound of his protégés voice. For a moment, all he did was stare; stunned eyes meeting confused ones, the two of them surrounded by nothing but silence. And then, as if touching him actually burned, Perry let go of JD's arms with a start, his eyes just as wide and perplexed as his protégés. "Newbie…I-I'm sorry. I just…I thought…I didn't even realize I was –"

JD shook his head wildly, eyes closed tight. _What's happening? What's happening!?_ "No, Dr. Cox, no! I can't, I…what was that? What's going on!?"

"Newb – JD, please, I –"

"I got rid of this already; I _can't!_"

"JD, please! I just –"

But before Perry could get another word in edge wise, JD was inside of his apartment, door closed tight. He stayed like that for a while, standing there against the wooden frame. He didn't know exactly when his body had chosen to sit, back still pressed firmly against the door.

What _was_ that? What _happened_ out there?

_If this was seven years ago, you'd be doing cart wheels right now._

JD shook his head, a strong urge to cry suddenly coursing through him, but he refrained. Seven years ago…seven years ago, when he was still just a lowly intern, he had laid very wide, very blue, and very admiring eyes on Dr. Cox.

He'd thought nothing of his obsession with the older man at first, quickly turning his attention towards Elliot. She wasn't a replacement or a cover up or anything remotely negative; just someone else he had managed to find himself attracted too. And damn it…it'd been so much _easier_ to allow himself to get drawn to her, because nothing was wrong with that. It was expected. And hell, at least with her, he had a decent shot.

But Dr. Cox? His raging, ranting, mentor?

No way.

So JD had worked very, _very_ hard at ridding himself of his feelings for the curly haired doctor, converting them all into hero worship and the undying need for a mentor. And he'd succeeded too.

Or at least he thought he had.

So what was this? What was happening all of the sudden? Dr. Cox…Dr. Cox liked him? Actually _liked_ him? But just three days ago he was belittling him like he always had. What happened in such a short time span that could've changed his mind? Maybe if there'd been some sort of transition, JD could see; could understand. But now all he felt was bewildered and confused, not to mention horribly guilty for having just slammed the door in his mentor's face.

Oh, God…he really had just gone ahead and done that, hadn't he?

In a wobbly rush, JD stood from his spot on the floor and swung the door open.

Not a doctor in sight.

The young man closed it wearily; half falling, half sitting on the spot in which he'd just gone ahead and stood up from. Maybe it was a good thing he'd already left. After all, if he'd still been standing there, JD would have had no idea what he was supposed to say; how he was supposed to _feel._

The brunet was, and had always been, an open book. So forcing himself to get rid of certain feelings for any individual, while not even _talking_ about them with someone, had taken _a lot_ of work on his part. After all that time…was he now expected to bring those emotions back to the surface? To reciprocate? And what if he did? What if, when all was said and done, the only thing that awaited him in the long run was rejection? Not that he wasn't used to rejection, of course, but rejection from Dr. Cox in the form of…in the form of a relationship? A relationship like the one the older man had _clearly_ suggested he wanted? Would he be able to handle that?

JD didn't want to think about it. All he wanted right now was blonde hair and blue eyes and a series of frustrated fricks.

He wanted normalcy.

Quickly, and with little hesitation, JD stumbled towards the phone, dialing his friend's number in a hurry.

"Hello?"

"Elliot! Elliot, hi. Um…can you come over?"

"What? Right now? JD, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I just…can you come over?"

A pause. "Now's not really the best time. Are you sure you're okay? I could always –"

"No. No, it's okay. At least tell me we're still on for tomorrow night."

JD could feel rather than see her smile. "Of course we are. And hey! You can tell me all about your night with Dr. Cox then too, alright?"

The brunet just nodded weakly, forgetting that she couldn't see his movement, and hung up the phone.

Still, he needed to talk to someone; anyone. No, scratch that. He needed to talk to the one person he'd always been able to talk to upon meeting him; the person he felt more than just a little guilty for not having confided in when feelings for his mentor first started.

JD picked up the phone once again. He went about dialing the number he was so very used to dialing, speaking out loud as he did so. "916-Call-Tur."

--

Turk, having heard the urgency behind his best friend's voice, came over immediately. Carla had been worried about her Bambi from the part of the conversation she'd heard coming from Turk's end, so when the surgeon asked if his wife could come over as well, JD said it was okay. After all, Carla was one of his best friends too. Not only that, but she'd known Perry longer than anyone else from within their little group. Maybe she'd have some insight on the older man's earlier behavior.

When they arrived, JD silently led them into the living room, causing the married couple to exchange worried glances. No hi? No hugs? Something was most definitely wrong.

JD sat himself down on the couch with a thud, burying his face into the palms of his hands. It was only a moment later when he felt the cushions on both sides of him dip with another's weight, as one of said people started rubbing small, comforting circles into his back.

"What's wrong, Bambi?" Carla asked softly, her hands working magic against JD's tense form.

"…I have to tell you guys something. And Turk…" here JD stopped, removing his hands from his face to look over at his best friend, "I'm sorry that this'll be the first time I'm telling you."

The surgeon nodded, though his brows were creased in a definite line of worry.

JD swallowed; hard. "W-When I was an intern…when I was an intern, I had a crush on Dr. Cox. A big one. But I…I got rid of it. You know…pushed it away. But tonight, um…something happened, and now it…I don't know. I'm really, just…I'm really confused." He waited there, frozen.

What was going to happen now?

He was surprised when Carla's response was a giggle, and even more surprised when Turk's face eased into that of relief. "Dude, that's it? Man, I was a wreck when you called! I thought you were in trouble!"

"I…what?"

"Oh, Bambi, it didn't take much to realize you had a crush on Dr. Cox, but it was clear you didn't want to talk about it. At the time, I had told Turk we should bring it up, but he knew you longer and better than I did back then, and he told me that you were almost always an open person, so that if it was something that bothered you too the point of not talking, then it was best to let it go."

JD turned to Turk then, shocked. "You…you did?"

The surgeon nodded. "It wasn't hard, JD, and you know I gotta sixth sense for that sorta thing. The only part of it that really bothered me was the fact that you thought you couldn't tell me, but, well…I guess part of that's my fault too. You know I get kinda…'uncomfortable,' with the guy on guy thing, but I would never think any less of you dude, you know that."

JD sat there, hoping desperately that the tears he felt coming wouldn't show. He was touched. Beyond touched, really. To think he doubted their acceptance for even a minute. The brunet swallowed before speaking, though that still didn't prevent the small crack in his voice when he began. "T-Thank you. Thanks, guys, really. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Turk, I am. I just –"

The surgeon patted his shoulder lightly. "You don't have to apologize, dude. Just know that you'll always be my V-Bear, alright?"

"Thanks, CB."

The two leaned forward for a hug, in which Carla shed a smile for them both. Still, she was curious about something else he had said. "So what happened, Bambi? You said something else happened tonight…?"

JD pulled away from his Brown Bear before turning to her, flushed. "Yeah, um…Dr. Cox and I went out tonight."

"Oh, Bambi…did you end up telling him you had a crush?"

"I…no. He, um…he kissed me. At the doorway. I kind of freaked out, and…I slammed the door in his face…"

Now the two were stunned; the kind of reaction he had expected from them upon first telling him about his used to (or maybe still present) crush on the older man. "He _what?_" Turk finally asked.

"He, um…he kissed me. But it was like he didn't even realize he had done it until I said something. But I was just…I was mean, you guys. It wasn't on purpose, I just…I freaked out. I didn't expect it, and I don't know what to think now. I still have feelings for Elliot, and I have no _idea_ what I'm feeling for Dr. Cox anymore. Everything's jumbled and I'm just –"

"Then I wasn't going crazy earlier today."

JD paused in his hectic explanation, he and Turk turning towards Carla in a confused manner. "What?" the brunet asked, clearly perplexed.

"Remember earlier today when Dr. Cox gave you that muffin?"

JD nodded.

"And do you remember your first year here, when Dr. Cox had a crush on me?"

JD nodded again, while Turk silently moped.

"Well, I ended up getting mad at him one day – no surprise there – but then later on he caught up with me in a patient's room and gave me a muffin as a sort of apology. I didn't think too much about it at the time, but looking back… Something like that's big to Dr. Cox, you know? Some guys give roses. Dr. Cox, well…he gives muffins. It's the biggest gesture he can think of without being too expressive romantically."

JD nodded silently, taking it all in. Earlier in the cafeteria, Dr. Cox had presented him with his own form of a romantic gesture, and JD had accepted it eagerly. Still, he'd had no idea that it was anything more than the older man's way of saying sorry.

God, it was all too much and all at once. He needed to think. He needed to calm down. JD, the most social person of them all, needed some alone time. "I'm really glad I have off of work tomorrow," he finally said. "I don't know what I'd do if I ran into Dr. Cox this soon, and it'll give me time to get my emotions in check before I go out with Elliot too."

"Just remember, Bambi, as tough of an act as Dr. Cox puts on, he _is_ still human. If you end up with the conclusion that you don't feel anything for him, you have to tell him honestly. And no matter what happens, even though I know you were just startled, you really do have to apologize to him for slamming the door like that."

JD nodded, the guilt in his stomach growing. "I just panicked. I didn't mean –"

"It's okay, JD. I know. And he probably does too, but once you're ready to see him again, it really ought to be the first thing you say."

"And hey, dude, if it helps, I'll even talk to him for you tomorrow."

The brunet shook his head quickly. While grateful for the surgeon's support, he knew this was something that needed to remain between himself and Perry. "No thanks, Turk, but I appreciate it."

His friend nodded understandingly, patting JD on the back as he did so.

Finally, the doe eyed doctor cleared his throat and stood. "I think I'm going to try and get some sleep, but guys, I…thanks so much. For coming over, for listening, for –"

Turk stood up from the couch as well, wrapping his arms around his closest friend. "You know I got your back, buddy. Just say the word."

JD hugged him back, more than just a little grateful.

After giving the Latina a hug just for her, JD walked them to the door, saying goodnight once again. He was alone now, his mind whirling, and while he knew it would take a while for him to fall asleep, he also knew he had to try.

--

JD paced his apartment, restless. He'd spent the whole day trying to figure out how he was going to talk to Dr. Cox next he saw him, while simultaneously preparing himself for his date – if it could even be called that, since he _still_ had no idea how she felt about him – with Elliot.

Truth be told, he wasn't feeling as frustrated as he normally would have over not knowing how the blonde felt about him. It'd be hypocritical, considering _he_ didn't know how he felt about _Dr. Cox._

JD shook his head. He would not, _not_ think about Perry tonight. Tonight was for him and Elliot alone. Nobody else.

The doorbell rang then, causing the brunet to jump in surprise. _Breathe, JD, breathe!_ He walked over quickly and opened it with a smile.

Elliot stood in its frame, sporting jeans that fit just right with a casual baby blue top. She was undeniably beautiful.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah, you bet. Where are we going again? You never really said."

"Oh, I just figured we'd go to the usual bar, since we haven't been there for a while. Sound good?"

JD swallowed. No. It didn't sound good. Being in a bar, even a different bar, was automatically going to make him think of last night, which would lead to the memory of him slamming the door in his mentor's face… But Elliot wanted to go there, so… "Sure thing."

Elliot smiled wider, linking her arm in his own as the two headed out for her car.

--

"So anyway, this one patient – oh my God, JD, you really should've been there – he just would _not_ stop talking about his cat. I swear, it was ridiculous. I wanted to punch him right in his fricking mouth."

JD sat on his barstool, doing his best to listen to Elliot's day. It's not that he wasn't interested, but the minute the bartender had brought JD his appletini – assuming he'd want what he always ended up getting – the brunet's mind had instantly wandered to the night before.

Him getting tipsy, which led to him getting handsy, which led to Dr. Cox having to help him to his apartment, which led to the…the kiss, which led to the freak out, which led to the door slam, which –

"JD? Hello?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry Elliot. What were you saying?"

"I was asking if you'd heard anything from Kim at all since you dropped Sammy off last weekend. How is he?"

JD smiled fondly, happy to focus on something that could never fail to cheer him up. "He saw a puppy for the first time when Kim took him to the park the other day. She said the dog was trying to get to him, you know…in a playful way. The owner had it on its leash though, so nothing happened, but she said how the dog made him giggle, and at one point he even reached out; like he was trying to pet it."

"Aw, JD! That's so cute! Looks like someone will be wanting a pet when he's older," she added with a warm expression.

JD nodded, smile still in place. What was wrong with him? Here he was, hanging out with a close friend, who also happened to be a beautiful girl, who was _also_ clearly interested in giving his son a happy future, and yet all he could think about was…

_You don't think Dr. Cox would be interested in Sammy's future? Have you not seen him with his kids? Have you not seen him with _your _kid? _

"JD? JD, hello?"

_What if he comes in the bar right now and sees you with Elliot? Could you imagine the hurt? Having just had a door slammed in his face to find you here, chatting away? _

"JD!"

The blue eyed doctor startled, Elliot's voice snapping him out of his reverie. "Elliot. I'm sorry, I'm just –"

"JD…what's wrong? You've been in your head more than usual tonight."

The doctor took in a long, calming breath. How was he supposed to explain this? "R-Remember when I called you last night?"

A nod.

"I...I did something bad."

Elliot's eyes popped. "Like…illegal bad? Oh my God, JD!"

"No, no, no! Nothing like that. I just…Elliot, I hurt someone's feelings, and I don't mean calling their shirt ugly type of feelings, but emotional feelings. The kind that, you know…make you feel."

The blonde quirked an eyebrow.

"Elliot, I have to go make it right. Before I do anything else, before I can even _start_ figuring out where _my_ feelings are at, I have to go make it right."

A million and one questions were stirring beneath Elliot's gaze, but she nodded sympathetically, if not a little puzzled. "It's okay, JD, really. It's not like we're on a date or anything."

The brunet closed his eyes when Elliot turned to take a sip from her drink. Damn, that stung. _Not as much as having a door slammed in your face, I bet. At least _she _didn't mean anything by it._

"I have to go, Elliot. I have to go now." JD leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. This seemed to startle her at first, but she smiled all the same as she moved to return the gesture.

"We'll hang out soon, alright? Maybe even go potential puppy shopping for Sam."

Elliot's smiled widened at this suggestion as she reached into her pocket for her cell phone. "Looking forward to it!"

After throwing his money on the counter and giving Elliot another quick hug, JD ran out of the bar and towards his mentor's apartment, more than thankful it was within walking distance. _Please be home,_ he thought desperately as he continued his run. _And please don't hate me. Please just let me say sorry._

_**A/N:**_ _The lack of Dr. Cox in this chapter bothered me, but it needed to be done in order to get to the next part of the story, so I'm sorry if you missed him in this one. If it makes you feel any better, so did I. lol Anyway, that's about it for now. Until next time!_


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: **__I thought I'd wait until today to post this sucker, since the new episode of Scrubs won't be on tonight. Not that this story could even come _close _to an actual episode, but I figured this would be some form of entertainment while we wait for next week. …Does any of that make sense? I hope so. lol Anyway, thanks again for all of the wonderful reviews and feedback. Your words are beyond encouraging, and I appreciate them all. Well, that's about it from me. Enjoy the next chapter!_

_**Disclaimer:**_ _I own a very large nothing._

**Chapter 5:**

JD was panting heavily by the time he got to his mentor's apartment. He stood out there for a while; catching his breath and calming his nerves. There was a very high possibility that Dr. Cox was going to hit him, but what made JD feel even worse was the fact that he'd deserve it. The brunet swallowed hard, tentatively raising his hand and knocking before he could stop himself.

In a manner of seconds, the door was open, Perry standing in its frame. The two could only stare at one another for a moment; JD tense with anticipation and worry as he watched the series of emotions cross over his mentor's face. Surprise, hurt, a flash of anger followed by hope, which quickly morphed into regret, and then back to hurt. All at once his expression made a visible attempt at indifference, but the hurt, whether Dr. Cox realized it or not, was still undeniably showing.

"I'm sorry," JD finally blurted, his voice shaking just slightly. "Last night…I had so much fun, but I didn't…I had no idea you were, um…interested. And then when you…you did that thing, you know, at my apartment, I just panicked. I panicked and I didn't think and I'm…Dr. Cox, I'm really sorry. After I realized what happened I even opened the door to see if you were still there, but –"

"Aren't you supposed to be with Barbie right now?" the older man cut in suddenly, his voice tight.

"I…what?"

"With Barbie. Weren't you supposed to hang out with her tonight?"

"I…yeah, we were, but last night was really bothering me, so I left and came here."

The hope from before flashed briefly in the curly haired doctor's eyes, though wary hesitance still showed through. "You came here when you were with Barbie?"

"Yeah. Is that…is that bad? Look, I can go, and you can slam the door in my face and everything, but I just wanted to come here and –"

"Come on in, Newbie."

Dr. Cox turned away, walking towards the living room, leaving a very surprised JD in his doorway. Did Perry just invite him in? After everything that had happened last night?

JD walked in slowly, the wary hesitance from Dr. Cox now shifting over to the brunet as he stood only three feet inside of the apartment, rocking nervously. He couldn't help but notice the more than half empty bottle of scotch sitting on the coffee table. "Are you okay to talk right now?" he asked softly.

"I've only had one drink tonight. Most of that was drunk last night."

JD swallowed hard, the guilt in his stomach only increasing.

"Sit, Newbie," Dr. Cox said suddenly, patting the couch cushion next to him. "I was being honest, alright? That wasn't supposed to be a guilt trip. Now come over here."

JD walked over to the couch the way a kid would walk over to a time out. He sat down as told, knees shaking ever so slightly, hoping that Dr. Cox wouldn't notice.

"Relax, kid," he said quietly, voice surprisingly gentle.

Okay, so apparently he did notice, but at least he wasn't mocking him for it.

After another moment or so of silence, Perry, surprising JD yet again, was the one to actually start the conversation. "I scared you," he stated, staring ahead at the blank TV screen. "God, Newbie, I'd been trying all night not to do anything that would turn you off, but you started getting all handsy because of those damn appletinis. Why do you think I wanted to get you home? And then you had to go ahead and fall into me, and damn it…before I knew it, my hands were around your arms and my mouth was right up against yours."

"It wasn't a bad kiss, if it makes you feel any better. In fact…it was really…"

JD flushed as Dr. Cox turned to him, though a part of him was relieved when he saw the older man's expression. He wore a look the brunet felt as though he hadn't seen in days: A smirk; cocky and confident. Vintage Cox. "Oh yeah?" the older man asked, though it wasn't a real question. JD was very sure that Dr. Cox knew how damn good he really was.

"Y-Yeah…"

Suddenly the grin slipped, though Perry continued to stare at his protégé. "Newbie…is there another reason you're here? Because if you're here just to say sorry for the door in my face, then yes. You are forgiven. But I'm guessing you wanted to talk more. You've never exactly been one for short conversations…"

"I…when did this happen?"

The Irishman quirked an eyebrow. "When did what happen?"

"These, um…these feelings for me. When did you get them?"

Perry was silent for a moment before answering. "They just sort of happened."

JD nodded, taking it in. Part of him wanted to tell Perry about his seven year suppressed crush, but he still wasn't sure what he felt in regards to Dr. Cox _now_, and giving him that hope, only to decide against it later, would be cruel. Still, he couldn't just get up and leave. Not when he felt so many of those feelings from his year as an intern rising to the surface. "I…I'm confused right now, Dr. Cox. I don't know what I'm doing, and I just –"

JD's chin was suddenly cupped in Perry's palm, eager lips pressed up against his own. The brunet stiffened, but the urge to reciprocate suddenly flowed through him, taking over. His jaw untensed as he let the older man's mouth press against him even harder. It wasn't nearly as urgent as last time though, and was surprisingly gentle for who it was coming from.

Finally, Perry let go; his eyes meeting his in a rare act of genuine understanding. "God, Newbie, this need, this…whatever the hell it is; it's driving me up the wall. I don't like not being in control, and that's what this feels like: like I'm not in control. But the need is so damn present and persistent that I just barely even care. But you're confused. I get it. So go home, go to bed, and I'll see you tomorrow at work. You should know though, that whatever the hell's going on with me doesn't seem to be going away any time soon. I won't come between you and Barbie if that's where you turn; I won't. But I'll be waiting for the minute she messes up."

JD nodded meekly, not knowing how to respond to the older man's words.

Dr. Cox stood from his spot on the couch to walk him to the door. "See you at work, Newbie."

JD watched the door close – not slam – as he stood out in the hallway, mind a blur with all that had happened. What was he supposed to do now?

--

The next few days at work were surprisingly not too bad, though still a little crazy. Dr. Cox kept his promise about not interfering when it came to JD and Elliot's together time. However, when _he_ was _already_ talking to JD, and Elliot chose to ask or say something to the brunet during _his_ time with him, a growl would emit from the curly haired doctor, leaving the blue eyed private practice just a little confused.

"She doesn't know anything about what happened, Dr. Cox. She's not trying to get in the middle or anything," JD explained to him calmly after the third time said event took place, and Elliot had already scampered off in the other direction.

"Yeah? Well I don't come and talk to you when you're having lunch with her now, do I?"

"No, you don't. But she doesn't even know that you like me."

Words like that seemed to overrun "Normal Dr. Cox" and bring back a little of "Love struck Dr. Cox." JD was still baffled by the love struck part of him, as it still did not match up to his normal behavior from all the times in the past when the brunet observed Perry's actions towards people he liked. Still, it was rather endearing when the older man shifted in place, calloused hands stuffed in the pockets of whatever he'd been wearing at the time. "Doesn't make it not true though," he murmured quietly.

JD swallowed. He needed to figure out his own emotions and soon. It wasn't fair to Dr. Cox to make him sit back and watch him and Elliot chat away while JD took his sweet time figuring out what was going on with him emotionally.

--

It was a whole week later since JD had first went to Perry's apartment to apologize for slamming the door in his face, and now the brunet was, as ritual, eating lunch with one Elliot Reid.

"So anyway," she went on with her story, "Carla and I were drinking, and I guess she was a little tipsier than me this time, because she told me how Turk used to take ballet. Can you believe that?"

"Oh yeah, I've known that for years."

"What? Are you serious? How come you never told me!?"

"'Cause it's none of my business! Not to mention I already made a similar mistake during our second year…"

As Elliot continued to discuss her girls' night out with Carla, Perry walked into the cafeteria; grabbing a tray and standing casually in line with the others. JD stared at him. His lab coat wasn't on, just his shirt; his shirt that was hugging him in all the right places without being overly –

"JD?"

"Hm? Yeah, sorry. Go on. I'm listening."

"Okay, so anyway –"

Without even meaning to, JD found himself peering over at the curly haired doctor once more. He looked tired; like today had been rough. It would probably do him well to talk to someone, which the brunet would normally assume was impossible, but since Perry had been more open and affectionate than usual lately –

"JD!"

"Huh? Oh, um…I'm sorry. Go ahead."

But Elliot just stared at him, a cross between concern and frustration on her face. "JD, what's going on with you lately?"

The doe eyed doctor rubbed his forehead, not quite knowing what to say. "I just…I'm really concerned about…'a patient.' Yeah… So anyway, it's like…no matter where I go or what I do, my mind is always on this patient. And when I see them it's even worse, because then it's really all I can do: stare and think, stare and think. And I'm so worried that I'm going to mess up somehow, or maybe…maybe the patient will request for another doctor... I'm scared, but I care about the patient a lot. If I knew the end result, if I just _knew_, then maybe I wouldn't be so horrified. I don't know…"

JD, who had taken to looking at his lap, was surprised when soft, slender fingers rested on the top of his own. He looked up then, his gaze meeting the sympathetic smile of his friend. "JD, don't you see it?"

"I…see what?"

"You have a crush on your patient!"

"What now?"

"A crush! JD, you're a great doctor, so it's no surprise how concerned you are for their well being, but the way you described it just now…it sounds like you really care about them. _Really_ care about them."

And all at once, JD knew she was right.

His feelings for Dr. Cox were still very much intact, and now more than ever, they were rising to the surface, knowing full well they could not just be ignored or put to the side as hero worship; not anymore. And, God…he cared for Elliot so much, but was it really in the same way he cared for Perry? No. He cared for them both. Deeply. But when he was with Dr. Cox, he wasn't thinking about what Elliot was doing or where she was or hell…even what she was wearing. But when he was with Elliot, _all_ he could think about was Dr. Cox. And it wasn't because he cared for one over the other; it was because, _romantically_, he was more drawn to his curly haired mentor.

In one swift motion, JD leaned across the table, planting a strong kiss to the corner of Elliot's mouth. The blonde doctor startled. "What was that for?"

"For helping me. And for – hey, wait a sec. You just…you just helped me realize I had a crush on someone. You wouldn't have done that if you…"

"If I what?"

And suddenly JD was laughing.

Elliot went a little wide eyed, slowly moving backwards in her chair. "JD…?"

"You don't like me!" he said in between his laughter. While it was true Elliot wasn't low enough to ruin someone's relationship because she liked one of said people involved, she still wouldn't go out of her way to help someone she had a crush on realize that they had a crush on somebody else entirely. "Never mind, never mind," he finally managed, wiping away a stray tear as he did so. "Elliot, the next time we're free, I'm gonna pay you back. We're going to go out to a bar, and I'll be your wingman and everything. We'll find you the guy of your dreams."

"Um, actually…JD?"

"Yeah? What's up?"

"I was going to tell you later. Turk and Carla too, but, um…for the past couple of weeks, I've been…I've been seeing someone."

JD's eyes popped. "You…wait, what? When? Why didn't you tell us!? You never _not_ tell us!"

"I know, I know! And I'm so sorry. But he's so great, JD, and I didn't want to scare him away by introducing him to everyone in my life right off the bat, you know? I always rush things, and I'm really trying to take it slow with this guy."

And suddenly things made even _more_ sense. When JD had called Elliot to come over a little more than a week ago, she'd responded with an awkward pause, telling him it wasn't a good time. And the day after that, when they'd been at the bar together; the minute she knew he was leaving, she had whipped out her cell phone – to call no-name, no doubt.

JD stood up from his seat, walking over towards Elliot and giving her a hug. "I can't wait to meet him, Elliot, and I'm happy for you. I really, really am."

When he pulled away, the blondes' eyes were watery with appreciation. "JD…thank you so much. Your opinion, it's…it's always the one I count on."

The brunet smiled as he picked up his tray, waving goodbye before half skipping, half running to the door. He had to find Dr. Cox as soon as possible. He couldn't _wait_ to tell him he was ready. He'd be so happy! And then maybe later they could go out to the bar again, and then –

JD, who'd been lost in his daydream of various outings with Dr. Cox, didn't see his best friend coming around the corner. He slammed into him hard, falling down from the impact. "Ouch," JD muttered.

"Dude, you okay?"

The doe eyed doctor reached for the hand that was being held out to him, pulling himself up from the floor. "Sorry, Turk, and thanks."

"Why are you in such a rush anyway?"

"Because Elliot helped me realize that I have feelings for Dr. Cox, so I'm going to go tell him!"

"Elliot helped? That's ironic."

JD laughed. "Tell me about it. But it's all good, because – oh, wait. Never mind. You'll find out later though, because she's gonna tell you and Carla."

Turk looked confused, but decided to settle on a shrug. "That's cool. Anyway, dude, good luck with Dr. Cox! And man…aren't you glad you never ended up giving that thing to Elliot?"

JD cocked his head, curious as to what Turk meant. "What difference would that have made?"

"Because what if Elliot liked it and decided to go out with you? You may have never ended up knowing how Dr. Cox really felt."

"Maybe, but even more ironic than that is the fact that Dr. Cox was the one to –"

"Yeah?"

But JD wasn't talking. Not anymore. His eyes had gone wide; his skin a pale white as realization slapped him in the face and then punched him in the stomach for good measure. His shoulders slumped where he stood, tears threatening to reveal themselves.

"Dude? Vanilla Bear? JD!?"

JD startled, his gaze focusing on a very worried looking Turk. "Dude…are you okay? Seriously man, you look like you're gonna cr –"

"Tell Carla to find someone to cover for me. I have to go. I have to go right now."

"JD? JD, wait!"

But he was already running. The skip in his step from just moments ago had completely vanished. His bright blue eyes had lost its spark of excitement over the idea of telling Perry, and the pink that tinted his cheeks over each and every daydream faded into ghostly white.

It was that love potion.

That damn, _damn_ love potion.

Dr. Cox had drunken it; the same man who had never once showed him even the slightest hint of romantic related feelings. He had drunken it, and three days later, just like the magician had told him, he became a googly eyed, love struck admirer. And what did that mean? As hard as JD tried, he could not ignore the overwhelming truth that screamed inside his head.

Dr. Cox didn't love him. He never did.

_**A/N:**_ _I'm sorry it ended on such a depressing note, I really am, but at least Coxxie was in this chapter, right? Anyway, that's about it from me. Until next time! _


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: **__I didn't expect to be back with this chapter so soon, but I got on a roll and couldn't stop writing, so here I am. :) As always, I thank you guys sincerely for all of the reviews and feedback. It means a lot to me, and I full heartedly appreciate your words. Well, that's enough out of me for now. Hope you enjoy the next chapter!_

_**Disclaimer:**_ _I own a very large nothing._

**Chapter 6:**

JD ran fast but unseeing, not quite sure himself where he was heading. The only thing that he was really aware of was the ugly truth set on repeat in his head: _Dr. Cox doesn't love you. He never did. It was the love potion; all the love potion. He doesn't actually love yo – _"I GET IT!" JD screamed aloud while running, not really caring how crazy he looked.

Besides the obvious question, there was another more dominant one in his head as well: What to do about Dr. Cox? When was he going to tell him? _How_ was he going to tell him? And then the more pressing question that weighed heavily on JD's heart:

_Should_ he tell him?

Not telling him at all would work just fine too, wouldn't it? Dr. Cox was in love with him, and JD now knew for sure how much he cared for the older man as well. Would it be so wrong to allow themselves a happy ending? To forget all about the love potion and start what JD hoped would be the beginning of a great relationship? Wasn't that _at least_ an option?

But suddenly the conversation from Perry's apartment started playing in his head.

"_I…when did this happen?"_

"_When did what happen?"_

"_These, um…these feelings for me. When did you get them?"_

"_They just sort of happened."_

They just sort of happened. "Sort of," as in "Three days after I drank that supposed 'juice.'"

But Dr. Cox was happy to be in love with him anyway, right? So what did any of that matter? Without even meaning to, JD's memory of their conversation did a fast forward, reminding him of the painful and obvious truth. Perry's words, straight from his mouth:

"_God, Newbie, this need, this…whatever the hell it is; it's driving me up the wall. I don't like not being in control, and that's what this feels like: like I'm not in control."_

JD sniffed, trying desperately to fight back another sob. He still didn't know what he was going to do in regards to telling Perry about the love potion, but he knew one thing for sure: He had to go back to that magician; he had to relocate that shop.

--

Once JD knew where he was headed, his running became steadier; persistent even. He had no idea what he was going to say to the man once he got there, but he knew it was where he needed to be. Still though…what _would_ he say? "_Hey, sorry for laughing at you, but that stuff really worked! Who knew? Oh wait, you did." _Or there was the more direct approach, "_You asshole! Look at all the trouble you've gotten me into!"_ And then, of course, there was always, "_Is there an _anti-_love potion? One that would reverse the spell?"_ Out of all of said ideas, JD liked the last one the best. He still wasn't sure whether or not he'd tell Perry about the love potion, but if he chose to crush the dream that had barely even started, he could at least avoid having to do it verbally, and instead get the older man to drink another small vile of "juice."

But wasn't that just adding to the deception, even if it did work? Wasn't that just as bad?

JD swallowed, mind still a wild mess over what he was supposed to do. Thank God he was almost at the shop. Just one more turn and –

For the first time since he started running, the brunet doctor stopped. Where…where was it? Where was the shop!? It was here only weeks ago. Where could it have gone? It didn't make sense. Why would the owner just –? Oh no. No, no, _no!_ He'd completely and utterly forgotten what the magician had told him that day: "_Why yes! I'm a _traveling _salesman. Slash magician, that is. I need to be able to set up my items as quickly as I'd be able to store them all away. I'm not a person who likes to stay in one spot for very long. No, not at all." _

JD's heart plummeted to his stomach, his throat becoming uncomfortably dry with despair. The man had left. Gone. He wasn't there to help him; to give him an easier solution. It was up to him and him alone.

--

Appletini's weren't cutting it tonight.

JD didn't want to be tipsy or giggly or whatever the hell you'd call it. JD wanted to be off his ass drunk. He didn't want to think about the love potion or Perry's fake emotions, or the fact that, whenever he did go home, he'd probably have a million and one worried messages on his machine, and if one of them was the voice of his seemingly concerned mentor, then he knew he'd go ahead and break down; letting the tears spill out that he'd been holding back all day.

So after two tinis and a half, JD ordered a beer. Then another beer. Then one more for good measure. But still the raging conflict on whether or not he should let Dr. Cox know about him accidentally drinking a potion, a potion that he hadn't even _believed_ to be real, peeked through his train of thought, forcing him to think.

"_You don't have to tell him. All you have to do is tell him you realized you cared, but you don't have to tell him about the love potion. He'll be happy, you'll be happy, and you can start the beginning of your lives."_

"_But that's not real."_

"_It will be to him! And it's not like_ your _feelings are fake."_

"_But _his _feelings are. It's not right. It's not fair."_

"_How is it not fair? Are you telling me you _don't _want to wake up with him in the morning every day? Happy and content?"_

"_I do, but whenever he turns to smile at me or anything remotely romantic, I'm going to break inside. I'm going to break inside because I'll know it's all a façade."_

"_But you care about him so much! How could you turn this down?"_

And amidst the drunken mess that was JD, he knew he had his answer: He did care about Perry. A lot. Which was exactly the reason why he had to tell him about the love potion.

How could he say he cared for him and then go about pretending all was well? How could he say he _loved_ him, and then go on encouraging a life where the man of his affection would be under a constant delusion; a spell? No longer able to control his emotions? How, if he truly loved him, could he bring himself to do such a thing?

He couldn't. He could never.

Throwing back the shot he'd just ordered – _Scotch! Burning throat! Owies! _– JD carelessly threw his money on the counter, swaying, wobbling, and dragging himself out of the bar to go and call a taxi. At least now he was drunk enough to tell him.

--

JD stood outside his mentor's doorway, perplexed. Was this the right one? Or maybe it was the one over there? They all looked the same! Except for the different numbers, of course. JD let out a stupid sounding giggle, though what was so funny, he had no idea. Of course, that thought just led to the thought that, no – nothing was funny. Not right now anyway. He was about to ruin everything that could've been and more some, considering there was no way Perry would still talk to him, even as his colleague, when this whole mess was over and done with.

JD pounded on the door he could've sworn was Perry's, and felt an odd combination of relief and misery when he answered. "Newbie! Dear God, are you okay? Gandhi told us you just ran out earlier, and we were – Newbie…?"

JD, who at first glance – at least when standing still and not talking – would've appeared sober, but when he stumbled over nothing and fell against the door frame, his current state became apparent. Before he could fall any further, Dr. Cox reached out and grabbed him, steadying his protégé where he stood. "Newbie…are you drunk?"

Of course he knew he was, but to what extent was the real question. Was this an appletini induced JD, or a completely and utterly wasted one? "JD…?"

And that was it. That was all the brunet needed to hear. His mentor saying his real name in a soft, caring tone. It was all he needed to hear to completely break down; the sobs he'd worked so desperately all day to hold back flew out of him. He'd come here to be honest; to tell Perry the truth. And yet now all he could do was bawl.

He felt two arms come around him, lifting him up and carrying him to, well, he didn't really know, but he wasn't going to fight it. He cried helplessly into the older man's shoulder, feeling pathetic but not wanting to stop.

He managed to open his eyes when he felt the person carrying him sit down – Perry – but did not feel his own self make contact with the floor. Between drunken tears and puffy eyes, JD recognized the older man's couch. Dr. Cox had taken a seat, but without letting go of JD. The doe eyed doctor was still cradled in his mentor's lap, his face pressed against his shoulder as tears continued to escape him.

Large, calloused hands traced circles onto JD's back, while a chorus of "Shhh's" emitted from the older man in uncharacteristically soothing tones. It was so nice and so comforting, yet it just made JD cry even harder. Because as nice and comforting as it was, none of it was real. If Dr. Cox was in his right state of mind, he would've slammed the door upon JD's arrival. Not this. Never this.

"C'mon, Bethany, talk to me."

Through the drunken haze that was JD, he noticed the girls' name. When was the last time Perry had referred to him in such a way? Not since the love potion, JD realized, but his senses were pretty off right now, so he wouldn't have bet on it. Still though, the tone in which the girls name had been said was a gentle one. The usual mocking behind it had completely vanished. It was the love potion's doing, not Perry's. JD let another sob escape him, the force behind it actually making his body tremble.

The older man tried again, voice still calm and soothing. "JD, what happened today?"

"Is' nah 'eal," he managed through his crying, voice slurred from all he had consumed.

"What?"

"Is' nah 'eal. I-Is fake 'n you hay me and 'n I din't even mean to an' is' all fake."

"'It's fake?' Newbie, I'm lost. What's fake?"

"Is' nah '_eal_ and is' nah fair an' you don' 'eally 'uv me an' is jus' a potion."

"JD; kid…I can't understand you."

The brunet let out another miserable sob. He was already feeling guilty enough about showing up to the man's apartment late at night, drunk and sobbing and bringing with him not the happiest of news, but now he couldn't even get what he wanted to say across, not to mention he was most definitely staining his mentor's t-shirt. "I'll buy you new one," JD mumbled into his shoulder, sniffing loudly. "Is' all gooey."

The doe eyed doctor could both hear and feel the low chuckle of his mentor. Great. He was coherent enough to get his point across about the shirt, but not about the damn love potion. Still, it was nice to hear him laugh. He'd probably never hear that sound again; not after he finished telling him what he needed to. "It's okay, Newbie," Perry finally answered, a smile in his tone. "It's just a shirt, alright?"

JD nodded into his neck, suddenly feeling exhausted. He wanted so badly to get it over with; to tell the curly haired doctor the truth, no matter how much he hated the idea of saying it aloud. But he could barely stand, let alone talk, and the day's events were suddenly weighing down on him, making his eye lids much heavier than they were just moments ago. He managed a, "Mmhmm," so Dr. Cox would at least know he was listening. But it was said, "Mmhmm," that made Perry all the more aware of JD's current condition.

"How about we get you to bed there, alright Newbie?"

JD squirmed. He was exhausted, but he didn't want to sleep. He wanted to stay awake as long as possible; to enjoy the first and last night he'd be able to be this close to his mentor; to hear his voice, soft with care, and to feel his arms around him; gentle but strong. He wanted to stay awake and embrace this last opportunity as long as possible, before the inevitable of having to tell him the truth came to fruition. But when he opened his mouth to voice his protest, the only thing that came out was a long, weary yawn.

"Good answer."

JD tried not to fidget as he felt his mentor stand, carrying his protégé with him. He lazily wrapped his legs around his mentor's waist, trying his best to help.

JD suddenly felt one of the arms that had been supporting him let go, followed by a "swooshing" sound, as if someone had just pulled away something soft. The brunet was suddenly lying down, his back pressed against something very comfortable. A bed. Perry's bed. Just as he was figuring out his current location, he felt someone wiggle his shoes off, and then heard the clear but calm voice of his mentor. "Arms up, Newbie."

Slowly and sluggishly, JD obeyed, raising his arms up over his head. He stayed silent as Dr. Cox pulled off his scrubs top, leaving his undershirt on for pajamas.

And then, as Perry went about pulling the comforter over his protégé, JD's eyes met his own for the first time all night.

They were blue and sharp and definitely a little worried. But the care in his gaze was deep and present. Dr. Cox gave him a small smile, if not a little concerned, as he reached out to wipe away a stray tear JD hadn't even realized was still rolling down his cheek. "Go to sleep, Newbie. You're going to have a headache when you wake up, but I'll be here, alright?"

Dr. Cox went to walk away, his hand reaching out to turn off the light, but JD couldn't bear to watch him leave. Not yet. Not now. "Stay," he managed, voice slurred with alcohol and sleep.

Perry turned from where he stood, eyebrows furrowed. "Newbie?"

"I don' wan' you to goes. Stay…?"

Dr. Cox nodded, turning on the bedside lamp before flicking out the main light. He climbed into bed with his protégé, who immediately wiggled over to where he lay, pressing his body against him as much as humanly possible. JD knew this would never again happen when the night was over, so if his body was really forcing him to fall asleep, he was going to do it snuggled up against Perry.

The curly haired doctor had once again gone to drawing circles on JD's back. The brunet soaked in the sound of Perry's soft tones, the warmth from his body, the feel of his hands. The last thing he remembered hearing was a low and gentle, "Go to sleep now, JD," and the last thing he remembered feeling was a small, soft kiss on his forehead.

_**A/N:**_ _Not the happiest of chapters, but I still think it's a bit nicer than the last one. (Or at least I hope so) Anyway, chapter seven is already being worked on, so it should be up in a few days or so. Well, that's about it from me. Until next time!_


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: **__Wow, can you believe there's only one more chapter after this? It's moving along much faster than I expected! Anyway guys, thank you so much again for all of the encouraging reviews and feedback. They mean quite a lot, and I appreciate them full heartedly. Well, here's the second to last chapter for you. Enjoy!_

_**Disclaimer:**_ _I own a very large nothing._

**Chapter 7:**

His head hurt.

It was the first thing he knew for sure upon waking up. His head was _killing _him. Alright, what else, what else. Guess to find out more he'd have to open his eyes.

JD opened them cautiously, very grateful that the curtains had been drawn in whatever room he was currently occupying; as if someone had known he wouldn't be able to take the light right away. Someone…someone who?

"_Go to sleep, Newbie. You're going to have a headache when you wake up."_

Dr. Cox! That's right! He was in Perry's bed. He'd even fallen asleep with him! JD was about to smile, until those memories led to the ones before it, making him realize why, in fact, he was in the older man's bedroom. The love potion, getting drunk, showing up at the apartment crying...

Right. Of course.

JD slowly turned his head, noticing instantly that the space beside his own was empty. The brunet swallowed down a lump of disappointment as he continued to stare at the vacant spot next to him. It wasn't Dr. Cox's fault that he didn't get plastered and sleep in longer because of it though.

The smell of coffee – hazelnut too – suddenly caught the younger man's attention. As much as he wanted his morning cup, he dreaded going out there and telling Perry the truth. What would become of it? Nothing good, that's for sure.

But the longer he lay there, the longer the unavoidable truth stretched out. He had to get up. He had to tell him.

Tentatively, he stood from the bed, doing his best to ignore the throb in his head while maintaining his balance. He peered around the corner quietly, trying not to cry as he took hold of the sight before him.

Dr. Cox, still only in his boxers, was making breakfast. A calm, homey image; something he'd never be able to have with him.

Sensing he was being watched, Perry turned around. There was a small smile playing at the corner of his lips, but his eyes held the concern JD could vaguely remember seeing from last night. "Morning, Newbie."

"H-Hi…"

"Maybe you should sit down. Just have a seat on the couch, and I'll be there in a second. I made breakfast, so we can eat while you tell me what happened yesterday, 'cause honestly Newbie, I'm not mad. But you really should've called someone if you were gonna –"

"You don't love me."

Perry, whose attention had been caught by a burning pancake, turned back to JD at the interruption, eyebrows furrowed. "Excuse me?"

"Y-You don't love me."

The older man just sighed, bringing his hand to his forehead to massage it gently. "JD…if you've gone ahead and chosen Barbie over me, if that's what all of this is about, then fine. Okay. I'll have to accept that, and I will. But please don't come here just to try and convince me that I don't love you, alright? For God's sake, the least you can do is treat me like a man, not a child."

"I'm…I'm not. But you're not listening. You really…you really don't love me. You think you do, but –"

"But what? I'm doing all this for shits and giggles? Listen, Newbie, I get what you're trying to do, but –"

"It was the love potion!"

"I…what? What love potion? What're you talking about?"

"A couple…a couple of weeks ago, remember? You found me in the cafeteria, waiting for Elliot. The perfume you thought was juice. I-It wasn't juice. It was a love potion, and you drank it."

There was a long silence as Perry continued to stare at the young man before him, eyes wide with a definite, "Are you kidding me?" look. "JD…" he finally started slowly, "There's no such thing as a love potion. I really think you should sit down, alright? It –"

"Yes there is! I bought it from a magician to give to Elliot, but I didn't think it was real so I was only going to give it to her as perfume, but then you came along and drank it, and then three days later you were acting all love struck just like the guy said, but then _I_ developed feelings for you, but by the time I realized it I also remembered the love potion, so I ran back to the shop to see if there was something I could do to fix it, but he was gone, and that's why I was crying yesterday! That's why I went out and got plastered and showed up here bawling. It's real and I screwed up and I'm sorry!" JD's hand was suddenly on the doorknob. He hadn't even realized he'd run there during his rant, but Dr. Cox was now bee-lining towards him, and God, he needed to leave. Yes, he deserved to be yelled at, but he couldn't take it right now. Not right now.

"JD! You're not even –"

"I'M SORRY!"

The brunet was out of the door in a hurry, running to his apartment as fast as humanly possible.

The next time Dr. Cox ran into him would be the last. Perry would yell at him, tell him to never speak to him again, and all would be over.

JD choked back another sob as he ran. Maybe next time he was at Sacred Heart, he should put in for a transfer.

--

The doe eyed doctor collapsed on the couch in his apartment. He shouldn't have ran that far and that hard with the still very persistent hangover pounding against his skull. He had planned to stay and get yelled at from the beginning, but he'd cried so much already, and the pain of actually telling him out loud was just so real and so there. But he knew he wasn't going to get away scott free, and he also knew he wouldn't be able to blame Dr. Cox for crushing him.

JD swallowed hard. So much had happened in the last twenty four hours, and he knew that if he continued to lie on the couch, every single one of those events would replay themselves over and over inside his head. He didn't want to think about it right now, but he definitely didn't want to go out and get drunk again. JD stood from his position on the sofa and sluggishly made his way towards the shower. He'd wait out his hangover and then go to the hospital, day off or not. Taking care of patients would take his mind off of personal troubles, and since Dr. Cox wasn't working today, he could avoid getting crushed for just a little longer.

--

It was late in the afternoon when JD finally managed to drag himself to the hospital. He'd thought of putting in for a transfer the moment he got there, but decided that he'd wait for the crushing blow from Dr. Cox before taking that final step.

Carla sensed his mood the minute she saw him round the corner for the nurses' station. She had planned to lecture him about running out of the hospital and leaving them all in a worried fit, but one look at his expression made her soften.

He walked over to her silently, bending down to press his forehead against her shoulder. The nurse rubbed his back gently, trying to think of the right words to say. "Dr. Cox called last night after you fell asleep."

"So he didn't sleep next to me then…?"

"No, Bambi, he did. He just got up to let us know where you were and that you were okay, but he hung up soon after to go to bed. JD…what happened?"

"Did Turk already tell you about the love potion?"

The brunet felt her nod in response.

"I told Dr. Cox about it this morning too…"

Carla stepped back then, allowing JD to stand up properly. "And…?" she asked quietly, worry evident in her tone.

"And I left before he could respond."

The Latina woman sighed. "JD, maybe you oughtta go home and get some rest for a while, okay? You're off today anyway. Why not relax and –"

"I can't relax right now. I won't be able to. Can I just...can I just please have a chart? Please? I need something to focus on. Please, Carla."

The nurse nodded softly, handing him the nearest chart. "Here you go, Bambi. Room 214. He came in here with bronchitis last night, serious enough for us to want to keep him, but he woke up today feeling much better. He'll need to be checked on periodically before we release him though."

JD nodded his thanks, and even managed a small smile, before making his way to the room in which Carla had indicated.

--

He'd been going over the chart when he first got there, taking note that the man's vitals were up to par and would most likely be released by early evening, so it was no wonder that JD didn't startle the minute he stepped into the room, as his concentration was still very much focused on the information before him.

"Why hello there, young man!"

It was _then_ JD jumped in surprise, his eyes going wide as he let out a squeal that sounded very much like, "_You!_"

"Why yes! What a pleasant surprise this is, indeed! Why do you look so startled, old friend? Did you think it was impossible for a magician to become ill?"

But all JD could do was stand there and gawk at the smiling man before him, waving to him from his place on the bed like such an occurrence was no big deal at all. But it was him! The man who had sold him the love potion! It was _him!_ "You!" JD said again, voice still shocked but less startled.

"Why yes, I do believe we've covered that. Is there a problem, my good man?"

"What? Oh, no. I was just startled. I mean – wait a second! Yes! Yes, there's a _huge _problem!"

"Well that's not good news now, is it? I could've sworn the nurses told me I was getting better. I myself am feeling rather refreshed, so I'm a little perplexed as to how –"

"No, no! Your bronchitis is fine! It's that love potion you sold me!"

"Did it not work? I assure you that's never happened to me before. I'm afraid no refunds are available though. If you'd like to buy something else however, then I can give it to you for half off and –"

"No! It worked perfectly!"

The man brought his hands together in one boisterous clap, his eyes sparkling. "Splendid! Then I assume all is well?"

"No! No, all is not well! The wrong person drank it, but then I ended up falling for them too. Or, um…_re-_falling for them, but whatever! The point is that I never would have bought it if I honestly believed it made a person fall in love with you, because I just can't do that! I really like this person, but because they drank the love potion, I know everything out of their mouth is fake, so once I realized that I had to go and tell them and, and…now every thing's ruined…"

There was a long pause as JD regained his breath, his shoulders slumping in the process. He felt exhausted. Maybe Carla was right. Maybe he should've stayed home. When he looked up again, however, he saw the magician wearing an expression other than overly cheery. It was contemplative; as if something in JD's words had thrown him off – something that he was trying to figure out. "I'm sorry, young man, but did you say…did you say, 'Made a person fall in love with you?'"

"What? Yeah, of course! That's what you told me! That the love potion makes the drinker fall in love with you!"

"No, I don't believe I did."

"What? Yes you did!"

"No, no, no. I said they'd be head over heels in love with you; that'd they'd be googly eyes and all, but – hmmm…you know, looking back, I can see how that could be misinterpreted."

JD considered himself a very patient person, but he was just about ready to start tearing his banana shampooed locks out of his head. "You think!?"

"Relax, young man, relax. You have my apologies for not explaining to you the effects of the love potion properly, but please listen closely: Yes, it'll make the drinker head over heels, and yes, the first few weeks will definitely give the consumer googly eyes, but these are not long lasting effects."

"So it'll wear off? Then what's the point if the person's just going to go back to –"

"No, no, no. The initial love struck side effects will wear off, but the love itself will not."

"That's great Mister, but you're still not getting it. I can't be in a relationship like that; even if it's with someone I really care about, when I know all of their 'love' is fake."

"But that's what I've been trying to tell you, lad! The love potion doesn't actually _make _someone fall in love with you. In fact, it's quite useless against someone whose feelings for you are no more than friendship."

"I…what?"

The man was smiling again, that joyous twinkle of his glittering beneath his eyes. "The love potion only works on those who are _already_ in love with you! It brings those feelings to the surface; allows them the courage to express themselves. _That_ is what it does. Son…there is nothing on this earth that can force love. Such an emotion is deep within the heart, and can only be brought out if it is there to begin with. If whoever drank the potion hadn't felt anything for you in the first place, then it would have been as simple as drinking water."

JD stared, blue eyes wide, as he took in the man's words before him. The potion, it…it didn't work unless the person was _already_ in love with them? Suddenly, bits and pieces of Perry's comments were flying through his head, connecting the dots. Like what he said when JD first asked him at the bar why he'd just now decided to ask him out for a drink:

"_That's what it is. This…this need. And I don't know why. I mean, I do. I know why. But I don't know why so suddenly or why it happened now. And…damn it, Newbie, I'm not good with these kinds of conversations. Can we just…I just want to sit back and enjoy our drinks, okay?"_

Him knowing why, but not knowing where the sudden urge came to act on it…wouldn't that imply that his feelings had been there earlier?

And even last night, when Dr. Cox had been helping him through his drunken mess: Hadn't he called him by a girls' name? Could it be that the love potion had already worn off, and yet Dr. Cox was still…?

"Thank you," JD half whispered, his eyes getting a little watery as he said it. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I-I'm going to send someone else in here to check up on you, but your vitals look fine, and you should be out later on, but I just…"

The magician nodded, a warm smile gracing his features. "Go on, young man. Go and find that special someone of yours."

JD nodded once more, sharing a genuine smile of his own, before running off to Perry's apartment in a hurry. Hopefully it wasn't too late.

_**A/N:**_ _Poor JD is getting quite a work out in this story. I have him running all over the place. lol But anyway, yes! Major congratulations for those who guessed what the love potion really does! :) After this, only one more chapter to go (besides the epilogue in Perry's POV) I really can't believe how fast this story has been moving. Well, that's about it from me. Until next time!_


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: **__Wow, can you believe this is the last chapter? This story went by so much faster than I originally thought it would. I'm still going to do an epilogue in Perry's POV though, so hopefully you guys will stay tuned in for that. :) Before we begin here, I just wanted to say thanks again to all of you guys, seriously. Your feedback really brightens up my day, and I know I must sound like a broken record by now, but it's true; I really do appreciate your words. Anyway, that's about it from me. Enjoy the last chapter! _

_**Disclaimer:**_ _I own a very large nothing._

**Chapter 8:**

JD stood outside his mentor's apartment, breathing hard. He felt as though he'd been running non stop lately. Still, each destination had been important. Maybe not the happiest of occasions, but important all the same. The brunet shook his head, swallowed down a mouthful of nerves, and knocked on the door.

It was only a matter of seconds till Perry answered, but one look at him confirmed JD's suspicions that yes, the love potion had most definitely worn off. Now of course this was a good thing, seeing that it made the older man's affection real rather than fake. But now, when he was mad, well…he was vintage Cox mad.

JD shrunk back a little as Dr. Cox stood in the door frame, his finger coming up to flick at his nose before his arms crossed sternly over his chest. "You know, Trish, this is the third time in about two weeks that you've showed up here for a surprise visit, and while you think that would make me _overjoyed_ with happiness, what with my recent realization coming to the surface and all, I find I'm just a _little_ hesitant to let you in, considering you'll most likely just run out of here again without giving me a damn _second_ to talk."

JD turned to his feet, shuffling where he stood. Damn it! Why had he run out like that before? "I-I know. I know. I'm sorry, Dr. Cox. But I found something out that, um…that you might want to know. After I say it you can do whatever you want, but I just thought that, you know…you'd want to know, maybe?"

Without looking up, JD could hear the combination of a sigh and a growl as the curly haired doctor moved aside, allowing his protégé to enter.

The younger of the two stepped in cautiously, his gaze automatically turning to the kitchen. He noticed the dishes – dishes that had been used to cook up _his _breakfast – stacked in the sink and soaking. JD swallowed down a lump of guilt as he turned to face his mentor, who was still staring at him hard. The brunet understood though. It wasn't solely out of anger. He was just protecting himself from anymore hurt. He'd already had to deal with Jordan storming out last month. It wasn't unusual that he had his walls up now.

"Well, Newbie? What is it you just _had_ to run over here and say this time?"

"That I'm sorry. I'm sorry you spent all night with me trying to make me feel better. That this morning you woke up and made me breakfast and all I did was freak out and run. I'm sorry. I was scared and I thought you didn't love me, but not because you weren't showing it, Dr. Cox, that wasn't it. It was because of the love potion, and I know you think I'm crazy for thinking that, but –"

"I don't."

"It – what now?"

Dr. Cox let out an almost inaudible sigh as he brought his hand to his forehead, shoulders slumping just a little. "I don't think you're crazy. These past couple of weeks, all I had to do was see you and I would just automatically…" Perry trailed off, shaking his head as if trying to gather his thoughts. "But Newbie, if that stuff I drank works at all, it's only real ability is to make the person act a little…however the hell I was acting."

"But, Dr. Cox, that's why I came over here. I found out that –"

"Listen to me, will you!? Now listen, I've been thinking about this since you left. I don't think whatever the hell I drank is in affect anymore, but the thing you have to understand is that none of that was _fake._ It still isn't, damn it! And before you ask _how_ I know that for sure, it's because I…it's because I lied to you."

JD, who had been preparing himself to cut in, tensed a little at his mentor's words. He lied? What about? About caring for him? But no, that didn't make sense. Not with what he just said. Then what was he talking about?

"The first night you showed up here, when you were supposed to be with Barbie, you asked when I first started…when I first started thinking of you like…like that. I told you it just sort of happened, but that was a lie. It…It's been going on for three years now. These…whatever the hell you want to call them."

JD tried not to grin at Perry's inability to say words like, "feelings," or, "emotions," when he was talking about relationships. He also tried not to smile at how cute it was to watch Perry stare awkwardly at his feet, knowing very well that it _wasn't _the love potion making him do that anymore. It made his behavior all the more endearing. But the one thing he _couldn't_ control himself from smiling over was what the older man had just told him. "You've liked me as far as three years ago?" he asked astonished.

"Yeah…"

"When? Why? I mean, what happened to make you –?"

"I don't really want to talk about it, Newbie. Just…three years ago. Think about it for a second."

JD thought, eyebrows furrowed in contemplation. Let's see, he was in his eighth year now, which meant that three years ago he would've been in his fifth year. What happened in his fifth year that might've caused Dr. Cox to –? Oh. JD shifted where he stood, feeling guilty for having almost brought it up. It made sense though, and it certainly made sense that Perry didn't want to talk about it. "I lied too," he finally admitted, though still a little scared now that the words were out of his mouth. "I-I didn't just start getting feelings for you now because you were revealing yours for me. I was just, I mean…when you first kissed me, I wasn't just scared because of the kiss itself. I was scared because…I've liked you since I was an intern." JD could feel the dynamic in the room change as he heard Perry straighten in his stance, while he himself was looking at his shoes and shifting awkwardly, face undeniably red. Still, he pressed on. "I've liked you since I was an intern, but I thought it was so impossible, so I let myself be drawn to other people around me. It was so…it was so much easier, and made so much more sense, and seemed…it seemed _possible._ But you were always the 'never going to happen someone,' so I just…I turned it all into hero worship. So by the time this all happened, I thought I had already dealt with it, so…I'm sorry, Dr. Cox."

Without realizing Perry had moved across the room right towards him, JD felt himself being wrapped in two, large arms; his body being pressed against his mentor's in a warm embrace. "You're hugging me!" JD whispered in astonishment, though loud enough for the older man to hear.

Perry just rolled his eyes. "I hugged you, _cradled_ you, and fell asleep with you last night. You were just too drunk to remember. Honestly, Newbie, compared to that, this isn't the biggest deal in the book."

JD didn't care though. He pressed himself into Perry's chest even more, smiling as he did so. "I don't care. This is nice."

The arms around him tightened, while their fingers ran up and down the younger man's upper arm. "Now what did you come over here to tell me, Newbie?" Perry asked in a much softer tone than he'd been talking in since JD first arrived there.

"I went to Sacred Heart before."

"I thought you had today off."

"I did, but I wanted a distraction…"

"Ah."

"But anyway, the patient I had was the same guy who sold me the love potion."

Dr. Cox, much to JD's displeasure, pulled away from the hug, though he kept his hands set firmly on the younger man's shoulders, staring directly into his eyes. "And…?"

"Don't worry. You were right. About the love potion, I mean. He told me what it really does; how it can't make someone fall in love with you. It just gives the person the ability to tell them, but only if the feelings were already there to begin with."

Dr. Cox pulled JD back into his arms, but not before letting out a small, "Tsk," and another eye roll. "I wasn't _worried_, Newbie. You don't have to comfort me."

JD grinned into the older man's chest, trying not to giggle. "Uh-huh."

"Hey…JD?"

This time, it was the brunet who pulled away, sensing the obvious worry in the curly haired doctor's tone; the same worry he just denied having. "Yeah? What's wrong?"

"You…you do know that without the love potion, I'm just…I'm just me, right?"

JD felt his eyebrows come together, clearly confused by his mentor's statement. "You're just you? I don't get it. What do you mean?"

"I mean…Oh, c'mon, Newbie, you have to know me to some extent by now, right? I'm going to get angry and I'm going to rant and I'm almost nee-_hever_ going to act as…however the hell I've been acting like for the past couple of weeks. And yeah, I'm sure I can cut down on the girls' names – sometimes – but other than that, you're getting…you're getting me."

"Dr. Cox."

"Perry, Newbie. Right now, it's Perry."

JD tried not to beam with excitement as he continued. "Perry, don't you remember what I told you before? I've had feelings for you since I was an _intern; _long before the love potion was even a reality. I know exactly who I'm getting and I couldn't be happier. Though, if you want to work on not calling me by a girls' name so much…"

Dr. Cox gave a low chuckle as he pulled JD towards him once again; the same chuckle JD would've sworn he'd never be able to hear again after all was said and done.

God, was he ever happy to be wrong.

"I can work on it, but no promises, Susan," Perry answered with a grin.

JD faked a sigh as he nuzzled further into the older man's hold. _This hug has been well over three seconds,_ he thought in amusement.

Suddenly, and without much warning, JD let out a loud yawn, hoping that Dr. Cox would let it slide.

Like he even had a chance.

"Tired, huh?"

"No, not really. It's just been a long day. Waking up with a hangover, freaking out, going to the hospital, getting a happy surprise, running back here…"

"So you're tired. Just say it, Newbie."

"It's too early to go to bed."

"It's not too early to lay down for a couple of hours. C'mon kid, I'll join you."

JD didn't fight his mentor as a large, calloused hand was placed gently on the small of his back, leading him to the soft, warm bedroom. The brunet climbed right in, not being able to hold back the content little sigh that escaped him as Dr. Cox kept his word, creeping into the bed with him.

"Happy enough to go to sleep now, Newbie?"

"Mmmhmm… Are you going to stay here this time, or are you going to go call Carla?"

JD tried not to laugh as Dr. Cox flicked his ear, the gesture _much_ gentler than it used to be. "I won't have to call her again if you don't suddenly run off without telling people where in the hell you plan on going."

"Sorry about that."

"It's fine. Now go to sleep."

JD, who had honestly planned on listening, was suddenly very aware of the position both he and Dr. Cox were laying in. The brunet bit his lower lip, preparing himself for what he was about to say without laughing midway through. "Hey, Perry?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to be the big spoon or the little spoon?"

"Shut up, Newbie."

"Okay."

_**A/N:**_ _I know it's not the longest of chapters, but I wanted it to be just the two of them together in the last one; finally getting the whole mess resolved and being able to be with one another without the love potion's effect. Anyway guys, I really hope you enjoyed the final chapter. :) Until next time!_


	9. Epilogue

_**A/N: **__Truth be told, I hadn't planned on giving this story an epilogue, but it was pointed out to me by a reviewer that Perry's POV was really missed, and I'll be the first to admit that I very much missed writing from his perspective as well. But anyway guys, before this story is officially wrapped up, I just wanted to again give my sincere thanks for all of your feedback and reviews. I love hearing what you have to say, and am beyond excited when I see readers out there enjoying the story. Well, that's it from me. Hope you like the finale!_

_**Disclaimer: **__I own a very large nothing._

**Epilogue **

_-One year later-_

Perry awoke in a comfortable warmth, the light of early morning filtering into his room, covering both himself and the person next to him in a soft, gentle glow. It was the older man's favorite time of day. All was still and quiet, and he was able to silently study the brunet wrapped in his arms. It was one of the few times Perry felt okay with feeling, well, open.

Dr. Cox let a warm smile grace his features – something you used to _never_ see on the older man when he first woke up – as JD curled further into his hold; still very much asleep in whatever dream world his mind was concocting for him.

Perry watched him silently, hardly believing that a whole year had passed by since the two of them first became "official." Though it'd been another six months before the older man had actually allowed JD to move in. Not that the idea of living with him was a bad one. Alright, so maybe it had caused him three or four migraines when first thinking it over, but still – his waiting had been for a reason. JD wasn't good at waiting himself, and usually that ended his relationships, so he hadn't wanted to enforce one of the brunet's main flaws. Not to mention his own various flaws with Jordan. No, he'd been in no rush to have JD move in, just to have the both of them freak out and fall apart; just like all of their other attempts at past relationships.

The last six months, however, had been going over much better than Perry had ever anticipated. Sure, they fought once in a while, and sure, they weren't vomiting rainbows and walking on sunshine, but they were in a nice, caring, _loving_ relationship, which was more than either of them had ever had.

Perry's attention was once again drawn to the man in his arms, who was mumbling incoherently, squirming in his little ball of warmth. Dr. Cox could feel the corner of his mouth turn up in a grin as he went about trying to interpret JD's words.

In the beginning of their relationship, Dr. Cox had teasingly told JD about his sleep talking, to which the younger of the two had gotten surprisingly defensive. Apparently, it was something he considered embarrassing, to which Perry, on any other occasion, would have teased him about even more. But the truth was, he found JD's sleep talking to be rather endearing. He didn't want to tease him only to have the kid subconsciously knock it off.

"S' gonna now…s' gonna…"

Perry's grin only widened as he stretched out his arm, pulling back a strand of loose hair and tucking it neatly behind his protégé's ear. "What's gonna, Newbie?" he whispered quietly.

"S' one ova 'dare…"

"Oh yeah?"

"S' gonna…gonna…"

Perry leaned over, planting a kiss on the younger man's forehead. "Alright, Newbie. Go back to sleep."

"S' 'dare?"

"Yup."

"Mmkay…"

Perry smiled again, though this time, it was brief. Mornings were his favorite, yet they never lasted long. Especially on days like today, where they had plans beyond work.

The two had been lucky enough to get off on the same day, but unfortunately for Perry, that luck also spread over to Gandhi, Barbie, and not _as_ unfortunately, Carla. They were all coming over today for what was sure to be a _rousing_ good time. Okay, so it was just going to be diner and a movie (at their apartment, thank God, seeing as there was just no _way_ Dr. Cox was going to pay ten dollars to watch two hours of whatever crap the rest of them would've chosen) but still…

The older man begrudgingly sat up from his position on the bed, swinging his legs over the side and heading straight for the shower. He paused to take one last look at his sleeping protégé; the early morning light still making his pale skin glow a soft sort of gold.

--

"Nice boxers, Trish."

Perry watched as JD stopped mid-stride, staring down at his smiley face boxers and blushing. "They're new…"

"So I see."

"A 'good morning,' would've done just fine, you know…"

Dr. Cox just rolled his eyes. Even now, he forgot that JD wasn't exactly a morning person. To his credit, it was an easy thing to forget, what with JD seeming like the perfect candidate for a person who would hop out of bed with a smile and a song.

Perry continued to sip at his coffee as JD poured a mug of his own, but not before leaning over and placing a kiss on the older man's cheek. Dr. Cox grunted into his mug as a way of returning the gesture, but he did not miss the slight slump to JD's shoulders after he did so. Odd… Six months straight and he'd seemed absolutely okay with that kind of response. What was going on now?

No, not just now. Lately; as in the past couple of weeks. JD had been acting…distant. Not cold or ignoring or even rude. Just a little distant. Was something bothering him? But if something ever bothered JD, Dr. Cox was _always_ the first to hear about it. Okay, so maybe Gandhi got to hear about it first on more than one occasion, but JD never failed to tell Perry if something was wrong, so why would he be holding back now?

"I'm gonna go take a shower!" JD exclaimed, the bounce in his usual step already returning. "Turk and Carla are coming here around twelve, and Elliot's going to be a little late since she's bringing Michael with her."

"Why's she bringing him?"

"Oh, c'mon, Michael's perfect for her! They've been together since _we've_ been together."

"A couple of weeks more than that, if I remember your story correctly."

"Whatever. I was rounding. Anyway, hurry up and get ready! Turk and Carla will be here soon."

Dr. Cox gave a low growl, though truthfully, he was a little relieved. Whatever he imagined was wrong with JD was clearly just that; his imagination.

_Or it could be that you're actually hanging out with his friends today and he's really excited, no matter what mood he's been in lately. That doesn't mean you imagined it, ya' idiot. Something could still be wrong._

Dr. Cox shook his head, silently cursing Newbie for having somehow given him his own inner monologue. Still though, what if something _was_ bothering JD? He'd tell him, right? Perry took one last sip of his coffee before heading into his room to get dressed. He'd think on it later. Right now, he had to prepare himself.

The mod squad was coming over, and soon.

--

"Vanilla Bear!"

"Chocolate Bear!"

Surgeon and doctor embraced as both Carla and Perry took to rolling their eyes, though at least with the nurse, she wore a smile while doing so. "Thanks for having us over, Dr. Cox."

Perry shrugged. "It beats having to leave the apartment."

"Well, you're being rewarded for your efforts, as I'm going to be the one cooking tonight."

Dr. Cox perked up instantly. "Oh yeah? What're you cooking?"

"Chicken parmesan with linguine and garlic bread."

The older man inwardly melted at the very sound of it. "I think I'm actually glad you're here."

Carla swatted his arm playfully as JD bounced up to the curly haired doctor; the pout he knew was coming already set in place. "Hey! I'm a good cook too, you know!"

Perry tried not to smirk at JD's pouty face. One year later and he still took the bait so easily. "Oh, I know you're all a flutter when you tie on that little apron of yours and go about gallivanting through the kitchen, but I happen to like the Dominican flair Carla adds to her cooking, so put those lips away and – "

"That's not what you said last night…" JD muttered as an interruption.

"_Put those lips away,_" the older man reiterated, "And enjoy the fact that you're getting a free meal."

JD walked away, still pouting, as he went to join Turk in the living room; the two of them sitting on the couch and going through the movies that the surgeon had gone out and rented before hand.

Perry turned towards Carla, a triumphant smirk tugging at his mouth, but the Latina wasn't looking at him with amusement or even a knowing grin. She looked mad. Or concerned. Or maybe both. Ah, damn it. "What?" he asked curiously.

"Can't you cut back on the teasing just a _little_ bit?"

"Carla, you're only seeing this sort of thing while you're actually here. We don't act like that _constantly._ Besides, Newbie knew what he was getting into when he got into this thing. I told him I wasn't always going to be as open as I was when I was on that love potion."

Carla, who had been getting ready to retaliate, stopped at his words, eyes widening slightly at his own. "Is that it then?"

"Is what it then?"

"Why you hardly ever show him affection?"

"I show him affection all the time!"

"Not just 'Dr. Cox' affection, but _open_ affection. Is that why you don't do it? Because of the love potion?"

Dr. Cox closed his eyes in quiet restraint; _really_ wishing he had kept his big mouth shut and hadn't gone ahead and brought up what originally caused their coming together. Truth be told, he could never feel regret or anything remotely negative for the man who sold JD the potion, or the day he'd accidentally drank it. It was what brought the two of them together, so he wasn't going to complain.

The thing that bothered him though, was how _well_ he could remember _feeling_ while that stuff had coursed through his veins. His logic, his desire, his _fear._

Whenever he had laid eyes on JD during those first couple of weeks, he'd been like a school boy with a crush; something he never even felt when he _had_ been a school boy. Not that he'd never found a girl pretty when he was younger, but never had he dealt with it like that. He could remember feeling embarrassed and open and – God save him – _vulnerable. _He could remember wanting to run to the local florist, buy JD a dozen red roses, and thrust them into his palms. Thankfully, the "Real Dr. Cox," side of him had won in that case, and he'd gone with buying him a muffin instead.

No, he could never be mad at the love potion or regret having drunk it. He was, however, scared to put himself in such a vulnerable position again. Plus the addition of his ex-wife running out on him; an experience he _really_ didn't want to re-live with JD... "It's not that," he finally answered, but Carla knew he was lying, and he knew she knew it too.

"Dr. Cox, I get why you're hesitant, I do. But you don't have to go all out and shower Bambi with romantic gifts or whatever it is you think would be required to show him real affection. Just the tiniest gesture would have JD on cloud nine for weeks."

A sudden thought struck Perry then; his concerns from earlier coming together with their current conversation. "Is that, I mean…have you noticed the kid acting different lately?"

Carla nodded, eyes going soft. "JD loves you for you, Dr. Cox. He doesn't expect you to be over the top romantic, but lately he feels…he thinks…"

"What?" Perry asked, unhappy with how much the worry was showing in his voice.

"He thinks you're not interested anymore. He thinks…he thinks you plan on breaking up with him."

Perry's eyes popped as his mouth practically dropped to the floor. "I…he…_what!?_"

"He doesn't want you to be all gooey and romantic. He knows you're not, and he wouldn't expect you too, but you have to remember that JD's past relationships haven't even made it this far. He's happy, but he's also really insecure. He's over analyzing everything he does, wondering if it's good enough to keep your relationship going, and while just a couple of weeks ago he wouldn't have thought twice about something you usually say or do, he's now over thinking it, taking it as a sign that you're losing interest. He just needs a reminder, Dr. Cox. Just the tiniest of reminders to know you still care."

The older man swallowed. He had no idea JD was that nervous about the two of them, nor did he know what it was he could do to make the kid realize how much he cared without feeling completely and utterly vulnerable. No. He knew whatever he did _would,_ in fact, make him feel exposed, but was it a risk worth taking? Was it a fear he could look past?

A sudden knock at the door brought the Irishman out of his contemplation, his attention now turned to the practically skipping JD as he went to answer it. "Elliot!" the brunet shouted excitedly, embracing her the moment she stepped through the doorway.

"Hi, guys! Wow, the apartment looks great! Dr. Cox, thanks for letting us come over. See, Michael? I told you it'd be alright if you came."

Michael stood politely beside Elliot, nodding appreciatively to Dr. Cox for allowing him over. He loosened up considerably as Turk and Carla came over to greet him as well, while JD went about giving him a hug of his own. "Hey, Mike! How've you been?"

"Good! The ultra –" The dentist was cut off with an elbow to the ribs, Elliot's voice going high with frustration. "Mike! We were going to wait until _after_ dinner to tell them that!"

"I forgot, I forgot! I'm just really excited, that's all!"

"Aw, babe!" Elliot stood on the tips of her toes, reaching up to place a soft kiss on her fiancé's lips while combing his black, curly hair with her fingers. A loud clearing of the throat from the eager-to-hear-the-news Latina drew the two back down to reality.

"Well, you can't keep us waiting after whatever slip-up was just about to occur," Carla said in response to Elliot's, "Sorry about that," look. "So what's going on? You two were late for a reason, so let's have it!" The nurse's brown eyes were shining with anticipation, already having an idea as to what was about to be announced.

Elliot met her gaze with the same excited look and more some. "I'm pregnant!" she shouted happily.

Carla squealed, Turk shook Michael's hand, while JD practically bounced up and down around the blonde haired doctor, talking about how Jack, Jennifer, Sam, and Izzy would be more than excited to get a new play mate.

The whole room seemed to vibrate with the joy that was Elliot's news, but all Dr. Cox could do was stand there and wonder what it was he could say to convince JD that he wasn't going to leave him; that he was still very much in love.

--

Dinner had been great, and Dr. Cox would have been more than satisfied to let it rest comfortably in the pit of his stomach while the film in front of them went about playing on the TV screen. But he couldn't get comfortable. He couldn't relax. Not with Carla's words set on repeat in his head, or the longing glances he would catch JD giving the snuggling couples that sat with them. Tonight had honestly been tolerable, but truth be told, he wanted them out. Not because of their actual company, and not even because of the horrible movie he was currently being forced to sit through – _The Notebook. God save me _– but because he wanted to think in quiet concentration as to how he could put JD's fears to rest; about what he could say and if, for that matter, he could even bring himself to say it.

He wanted them to leave so he could make things right.

--

Dr. Cox got his wish around quarter after twelve, when all of JD's friends (and okay, maybe his friends now too…) finally left the apartment and headed for home. After hours of ignoring the film and thinking on what it was he could say, he finally thought of something he could tell him. It was honest and true and damn hard for Perry to admit, but would something so meaningful to him come across as insignificant to JD? Would he be able to understand what it was for Dr. Cox to confess something so private? Something he honestly loved?

"Ready for bed?" JD asked from the kitchen, having just put the last plate from their dinner into the dishwasher.

"Huh?"

"For bed; are you ready? It's no big deal or anything. I just thought you'd be tired after today, but, um…I can go in alone. It's not a big –"

"Yeah, Newbie, I'm ready. Let's go in."

JD gave a soft smile as the two of them made their way into the bedroom, crawling under the covers and flicking out the main light.

Dr. Cox watched JD pull the comforter up to his chin, the light from the bedside lamp revealing the worry he'd been noticing in the younger man for the past two weeks. Perry swallowed. The last person he'd confessed this to had told him it gave her the "Heeby Jeebies." Would JD feel the same way?

"JD."

The brunet, who had been staring at the ceiling, immediately turned at the sound of the older man's tone, his blue eyes flashing with even more worry than his expression. "Perry?"

Dr. Cox swallowed. It was now or never. "I watch you when you sleep."

JD turned on his side to face him, though his expression was one of confusion. "What…?"

"I…I watch you when you sleep. In the morning. You, um…you're usually still sleeping when I wake up, and sometimes the light hits you just right, and…and even when it's still kind of dark, I just really…you look so peaceful, and I…I watch you. It's, um…it's my favorite time of the day."

Dr. Cox held his breath as the silence that followed seemed to stretch out forever. _Great job, Per. You just officially freaked the kid out. Now he's gonna – wait…are those…is he…?_ Perry watched, startled but silent, as unshed tears filled JD's eyes to the brim. "It's your…it's your favorite time of the day? Just watching me sleep?"

The older man just nodded, still too nervous to say anything more.

"Oh, Perry…"

JD filled the small gap between them, bringing their lips together in a kiss that held a great sense of relief and a great sense of love. When the brunet finally pulled away, Dr. Cox was quick to notice the lone tear that had escaped the younger man's eyes, trailing down his cheek and curving past the corners of his upturned mouth. JD was smiling, his worries from just a moment ago completely and utterly gone.

"You know I love you, right Newbie?"

JD nodded, still all watery smiles. "Yeah, Perry, I know."

The older man let out the smallest of sighs, surprised at how utterly content he felt at seeing JD so happy. "Good," he finally responded. "Now get yourself over here. I want to be the big spoon."

JD wiggled closer, giggling into the curly haired doctor's neck. "You're always the big spoon."

"Are you complaining?"

"No way."

"Yeah," Perry whispered, draping his arms around JD in a warm embrace, "Me neither."

_**A/N: **__Well, there it is! I wanted to show that they still had their struggles, like most couples do, but that they were in a healthy, loving place with one another. I know it was kind of mushy, but hey…it's an epilogue to a love story, and after working so hard to get to that point, I figured they deserved a happy ending. lol Well, that's it from me. I hope you enjoyed it. :) Until next time!_


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